


A Code to Decipher

by SilverWolfATW



Series: The Cipher Series [1]
Category: Gravity Falls
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-14
Updated: 2017-05-14
Packaged: 2018-10-31 18:38:17
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 18
Words: 23,387
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10905126
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SilverWolfATW/pseuds/SilverWolfATW
Summary: Book 1 in a 3 Book series...Dipper and Mabel Pines are back in Gravity Falls for another summer. They may be sixteen, but the thrill of the mystery is still there! For the past few weeks, Dipper has gotten little to no sleep. Ever since returning to the Mystery Shack, his dreams have been tormented by a certain dream demon...One day, a stranger arrives at the door of the Mystery Shack. Yellow and brown hair, a triangular eye-patch over one eye, a grin on his smug face, the stranger lets out a laugh."Long time no see, Pine Tree!"Having somehow been trapped in human form, Bill Cipher makes a deal with Dipper...Bill drives Dipper to the brink of insanity with his violent humor and overall aggravating personality, but there's something there making it impossible for Dipper to deny him help, and it isn't just the deal they made...





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, so...Weirdmageddon, right? Well...we're just going to say that the journals are fine, and Bill somehow came back...or something like that... Actually, there probably won't be very much in reference to Weirdmageddon other than the occasional accusations, and whatnot...yeah...okay...I will change things if I need to, so...CONTINUE!

_The night air was cool and crisp, the wind tearing at Dipper's vest and shirt. As he traipsed through the forest, his journal clutched tightly in his arms, he felt as though someone, no....something was watching him. The boy spun around, expecting to catch his stalker off guard, but he was greeted by nothing but silent darkness. Dipper shivered and kept walking. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a tree open an eye and he immediately spun to face it, but the tree was as dormant as it had always been, no eye to be seen. A laugh echoed through the maze of trees, resonating off their many branches and circling Dipper like vultures. Dipper held his journal close to his chest, his jaw tight._

_"It's just a dream...all you have to do is wake up..." Dipper whispered to himself. The laugh sounded again and Dipper cringed._

_"Pine Tree, Pine Tree! Come on, now, we both know that's not true!" Dipper spun this way and that, trying to locate the voice._

_"Where are you? Show yourself!" Dipper demanded._

_"I'm in your dreams, kid!" Came the unhelpful response. Dipper narrowed his eyes, his teeth clenched._

_"Get out of my head! All I want is one night of decent sleep!" He snarled. The laugh came again, this time right behind Dipper._

_"Aw, but that's no fun! It's been a whole year since last summer! You've been gone a while!" Dipper spun around, but still there was nothing._

_"You weren't gone long enough!" He shouted back, his spine tingling at the feeling of being watched._

_"Aw, you don't mean that, Pine Tree!" The voice was moving, circling around him, making his head hurt, his vision spin._

_"Where are you?!" Dipper shouted desperately. Everything stopped spinning and a single eye appeared in front of him._

_"Closer than you think."_

Dipper jumped awake, his heart racing. He put a hand to his head, closing his eyes in an attempt to calm himself. Dipper glanced over at his clock, which read 5:45am. Dipper sighed and sat up. No point in try to go back to sleep. The sun was beginning to rise, shining its light through the attic window. The pattern of the window on the floor reminded Dipper of his nightmare and he put his head in his hands. Dipper Pines loved Gravity Falls, but...was coming back really worth Bill's torture? At least at home he had gotten some rest. Which led to another question. Why wasn't Bill able to enter his dreams back home? That didn't make any sense, since the mindscape accessed every mind that wasn't protected. Dipper laughed slightly and looked over at Mabel, who was still fast asleep in her bed. So much had changed since Gideon summoned the isosceles monster almost four years ago, but Gravity Falls had changed the least. Still filled with mysteries and secrets, still so much to be discovered and uncovered. And there was one mystery Dipper had been meaning to investigate for quite some time. And the dream demon was making it all too easy to begin his investigation...


	2. Chapter 2

Dipper sat with his legs crossed, Journal 3 in his lap, on his bed. Mabel was throwing some clothes in a bag, humming some song that Dipper vaguely recognized. He was thoughtlessly flipping through pages of the Journal, his mind wandering. The page fell open to reveal the information on a certain polygon Dipper had had too much of the past week, and Dipper looked up at his twin.

"Mabel?" He called. With a toss of her brown hair, she spun around to grin at her brother.

"Yessum?" She replied. Dipper leaned back against the wall, taking his hat off for a moment to run his hand through his hair.

"Do you remember Bill?" He wondered. Mabel's smile faded and she went back to packing.

"Cipher? Yeah. How could I forget?" She responded, her voice lacking the usual cheer that came with it. She snapped her bag closed and smiled again. "Why do you ask?" Dipper sighed, scanning Bill's page in the book.

"He keeps appearing in my dreams. I think...I think he's coming after us." He admitted. Mabel pursed her lips, picking up her bag.

"Well, so long as you don't make a deal with him or do anything _stupid_ he should remain in the mindscape, right?" She pointed out with a smirk. Dipper shrugged.

"Theoretically." He allowed. Mabel punched his arm lightly.

"Then you've got nothing to worry about, bro bro!" She laughed. Dipper smirked.

"Yeah, I guess." He agreed. Dipper walked with Mabel downstairs. He waved awkwardly to Candy and Grenda, who were waiting for Mabel in their car. Mabel gave her brother a quick hug before running outside. Before Dipper could go back upstairs, someone called his name.

"Dipper!" With a slight groan, the teenage boy entered the living room, where his great uncle Stanley was getting ready to leave.

"What's up, Grunkle Stan?" Dipper wondered as Stan walked past him into the kitchen.

"I've gotta go pick some stuff up," he informed his grandnephew, grabbing his keys from the table and heading to the front door, "so try not to do anything stupid while I'm gone." Dipper frowned, crossing his arms as his Uncle patted him on the back and left. When the red car pulled away, Dipper threw his arms up, exasperated.

"Why does everyone assume that I'm going to do something _stupid_?" He exclaimed. He turned back around and went inside. Not two minutes after Dipper shut the door, there was a loud knock. Dipper took a deep breath to calm his rising anger. He spun around and yanked the door open.

"What!?" Lack of sleep was making him quick to snap. Dipper quickly apologized, standing up straight and shoving his hands in his pockets. There was a boy in front of him that looked maybe sixteen or seventeen. His hair was brown except for the top, which was yellow. His had on a yellow vest over black clothes, also a bow tie and black gloves. One of his eyes was covered by a triangular eyepatch, and his visible eye was filled with mischief as he smiled at Dipper. Something about hims seemed so...familiar, but Dipper couldn't place his finger on it. The boy tipped his black top hat, giving a small bow.

"How's it going, Pine Tree?"

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"So, let me get this straight... You've been trapped in the form of a human, thus trapping yourself in reality. And...you want my help to figure out who did this to you? And in return, you will never harm Mabel for the rest of her natural life?" Dipper clarified. He was leaning against the wall of the attic, watching as Bill Cipher examined his bleeding nose in the mirror. Bill laughed slightly.

"Yeah, that _was_ the deal we just made. Great job, by the way. You've just done everything your sister and uncle told you _not_ to do!" He reminded the boy. Dipper crossed his arms, glaring at the demon. Bill laughed again, dabbing at the blood coming from his nose. "You've got quite the punch, kid." Bill noted. Dipper shrugged, standing up off the wall. He walked up and looked in the mirror over Bill's shoulder.

"I've been practicing. Always wanted to punch you in the face. And now that you're here, I can." He hissed. Bill smirked and leaned back so that he was whispering in Dipper's ear.

"You wanna hit me again, Pine Tree?" He teased. Dipper shoved Bill away from him angrily, making the demon laugh as he fell against the wall. "Ooh! Fiesty!" Bill narrowed his eye, grinning. Dipper jabbed a finger at him.

"Shut up." He snarled. Bill chuckled and dragged his pinched fingers across his lips, then pretended to toss the key, mimicking the signal Dipper and his childhood crush used to use all the time. Dipper clenched his jaw and his fists. Bill grinned and Dipper launched himself forward. He grabbed Bill by the shoulders and threw him to the ground. Bill's laugh rang in the air as he fell to the ground, his smug grin never leaving his face. Dipper grabbed Bill by the shirt and raised a fist, seething.

"This isn't the mindscape, Bill. Here, I can _kill_ you." Dipper pointed out. Bill tilted his head to the side.

"Hmm...but you won't." He tapped Dipper on the nose, and Dipper dropped him, stepping away. Bill crossed his arms behind his head and smirked. "Your uncle's calling." Dipper furrowed his eyebrows.

"Huh?" He questioned.

"DIPPER! Come help me with this stuff!" Stan shouted from downstairs. Dipper shot Bill a final glare before running down the stairs to help his uncle. No deal was worth this, but...Dipper would put up with it if it meant Mabel would be safe.


	3. Chapter 3

Dipper took the stairs two at a time, and he repositioned his hat as he walked into the gift shop. His Grunkle was holding three big boxes that he dropped to the floor.

"Uh...what's in the boxes?" Dipper questioned. Stanley stood up straight again, a hand on his back.

"Miscellaneous items that were way cheaper than what I'm going to sell them for." He replied. Dipper shrugged.

"Figured." The boy admitted with a small smirk.

"Unpack these, will you?" He instructed, beginning to leave.

"Grunkle Stan, wait! I have...stuff I need to do!" Dipper rubbed the back of his head, not meeting his uncle's gaze. Stanley looked at Dipper for a moment, scrutinizing.

"Fine." He said after a while. "Unpack one of them, then you can go do whatever nerdy crap it is you're doing." Then he left. Dipper put one of the boxes on the counter and reached into his pocket to grab his pocketknife. His fingers closed around nothing, and he realized that he must have dropped it when he attacked Bill. He was about to go retrieve the knife, when his uncle looked at him from the other room, his eyes narrowed in suspicion. Dipper waved at him slightly, then groaned and turned back to the box. He then unceremoniously pulled off the tape, opening the cardboard square. Carrying multiple items at once, Dipper began to unpack the box, very nearly throwing the items onto the shelves. When he finally emptied the box, Dipper tossed the flattened cardboard container to the side of the room and raced back upstairs. He opened the door to the attic and entered the room, closing the door behind him. It took him a moment to locate Bill. When he did, he found him hanging upside down off one of the banisters. He was doing something that Dipper couldn't quite make out, so he walked closer to see what it was. A drop of a crimson liquid dripped onto Dipper's cheek as he looked up at Bill. Dipper wiped it off, wondering if Bill's nose was still bleeding. Then he saw what was in Bill's hand. It was Dipper's pocket knife.

"Bill?! What are you doing?!" Dipper demanded. Bill looked down at him, which Dipper figured was actually looking up, but...whatever. The dream demon grinned.

"Hey there, Pine Tree!" He greeted, his voice still the same echoey nightmare that drifted through Dipper's darkest dreams. Bill showed Dipper his arm, which was covered in small but deep looking cuts, like Bill had been repeatedly poking himself with the knife. "This feels so weird!" He laughed, poking himself with sharp tip once more. Dipper's eyes widened and he made a swipe for the knife, but he missed. "Oops! You'll have to be faster than that!" Bill teased, flipping off the banister and landing on Dipper's bed. The yellow demon looked at his blood on the knife and whistled appreciatively.

"You humans've got it all! I mean, the sensory nerves in this thing sure are something!" He declared, pricking himself again, making Dipper cringe. "Ouch. See? That actually hurt!" Bill laughed. "Here, let me show you!" Bill grabbed Dipper by the wrist and yanked him forward.

"Bill, wait, I- gah! Quit it!" Dipper snarled, snatching the knife out of Bill's hand. Cipher just smirked and leaned back as Dipper clutched the wound the demon had caused. With a glare, Dipper pocketed his knife and pulled out Mabel's first aid kit. He grabbed a disinfectant wipe and some bandages, then sat down on the bed next to Bill. Dipper held out his hand and Bill, rather cautiously, gave Dipper his arm. He worked silently, his jaw clenched, as he cleaned Bill's self-inflicted wounds.

"Ooh, the silent treatment." Bill cooed. Dipper shot him a look, which only made Bill laugh. "Aw, lighten  up, Pine Tree! Have a little fun!" Dipper finished wrapping Bill's arm and jabbed him in the chest with his pointer finger.

" _Cutting_ yourself isn't fun, Cipher, it's _insane._ " He hissed. Bill smirked.

"So am I." He pointed out. Dipper sighed and sat back, rubbing his forehead.

"Yeah, I know." He replied. The two were silent for a moment, and Bill brought his knees to his chest, wrapping his arms around them.

"It's sweet you care, though." Dipper looked up at Bill, his eyebrows furrowed.

"What did you say?" He questioned. Bill just looked at him, not saying anything. Dipper felt his cheeks getting red, so he huffed and put his chin on his knees, which were brought up to his chest like Bill's. Dipper winced slightly when he put pressure on the cut on his arm. He looked at it frowned. Bill had carved a triangle with an eye in it into his arm. Dipper raised his arm as well as an accusatory eyebrow at Bill, who shrugged.

"Gotta leave my mark, don't I?" He teased. Dipper rolled his eyes and began wrapping up his arm.

"Yeah, totally, go ahead and carve your face into my arm." He replied sarcastically. Bill frowned, crossing his arms. Then he smirked again, narrowing an eye.

"Next time I'll just go ahead and carve my name in you, then. Whatdya think, Pine Tree? Property of Bill Cipher?" He suggested. Dipper glared at him and Bill laughed. "Sheesh, kid! Take a joke! It's a good thing your sister is such a ray of sunshine, or it'd always be cloudy over here." The demon teased. Dipper rolled his eyes, and he got to his feet. Suddenly, Bill's hands went to his stomach.

"What in the name of all things impossible is this?!" Bill demanded. Dipper frowned, confused at first. Then he heard Bill's stomach growl and he couldn't help himself. Dipper began to laugh. The sound burst from his lips and caused him to double over, clutching his side. "Dipper, this isn't funny! I could be _dying!"_ Bill complained. This made Dipper laugh harder as Bill got his feet. Dipper put a hand on Bill's shoulder, trying to catch his breath. He wiped away the tears that had formed from laughing and looked at Bill.

"You're _hungry,_ Bill. You aren't dying, you need food!" He explained. Bill rubbed the back of his head, not looking at Dipper.

"Oh, yeah." Dipper furrowed his eyebrows, confused. Why was Bill acting so strange all of a sudden. Then Dipper realized how close he and the demon were standing, and that Dipper's hand was still on Bill's shoulder. His face red, Dipper stepped back, removing his hand and turning around.

"Right. Well, I'll...I'll go get you some food. Just...stay here, and...try not to kill yourself." Then Dipper ran downstairs. When he got to the kitchen he leaned against the counter, a hand on his head. What had just happened? Bill was his enemy. He had nearly killed Mabel and the rest of Dipper's family multiple times, and had even possessed Dipper's body, at one point. Dipper despised him....right?


	4. Chapter 4

Dipper opened the fridge, completely at a loss. What did you feed an all-powerful dream demon? Especially one who has never eaten before? Dipper closed the fridge, rubbing his head under his hat. After a few moments of debate with himself, Dipper decided to go with the safe, default option; a peanut-butter and jelly sandwich with some chips. Dipper finished making the sandwich and tossed the peanut-butter covered butter knife in the sink, returning the jelly to the fridge, the peanut-butter to the pantry. He then grabbed a small snack bag of potato chips, and headed back upstairs. He opened the door with his elbow, pushing it with his shoulder.

"I didn't know what you would like, so..." Dipper trailed off. The room was empty. He kicked the door closed and walked in, setting the food down on the nightstand. "Bill?" Dipper looked around the room, expecting the dream demon to jump out at him, shouting "boo," but no such thing happened. The room was completely quiet, safe for the sounds of outside. _Outside!_ Dipper spun around and looked at the attic window adorned with a symbol not unlike Bill's. The window was propped open, and Dipper specifically remembered it being closed before he left. Dipper groaned and leaned out the window. His eyes swept the premises, and he considered calling out, but he didn't want to draw attention to himself, so instead he looked for possible escape routes from the bedroom window. It was hardly possible to reach the roof from here, and the drop was pretty much straight down. He could have managed to jump to one of the trees. Or, knowing Bill and his obsession with pain, he had just jumped. Dipper imagined the grin on his face, his vest tails flapping as he laughed, falling to the ground. But, surely Dipper would have heard the laugh, or at least the impact of the fall, which would have surely broken a few bones. Dipper pursed his lips. So maybe Bill didn't jump. Dipper began to search the rest of the house, checking every room. Save for his Uncle's, that is. And still, no Bill. Had he managed to climb to the roof, then? Dipper ran out of the living room and headed to roof. Once there, he scanned the premise once more. Nothing. Dipper groaned and sat down on the roof, remembering all those years ago, when he had made a deal with the dream demon just to get a passcode to the computer Soos had found, which Bill had ended up destroying anyway. Dipper sighed and put his head in his hands. And now, Bill Cipher was loose in reality without any idea of how to be a human being. Dipper didn't know who he was worried for; the people, or Bill.

"I'm not as clueless as you think, Pine Tree." Dipper's head shot up and he saw Bill floating in the air in front of him. He was lying on his stomach, his head propped up in his hands. "Hi there." He greeted. Dipper sighed in relief.

"There you are! I was looking everywhere for you!" Dipper exclaimed. Bill smirked, rolling over in the air onto his back.

"Yeah, I know you were. Oh, and you still are." He informed the boy. Dipper furrowed his eyebrows.

"Wait...what?" He inquired. Bill laughed and dropped onto the roof beside Dipper.

"You fell asleep, Dip Dop!" Bill explained. Dipper made a disgusted face.

"Don't call me that." Bill shrugged and jumped to his feet. "What do you mean, I fell asleep? I've been looking for you!" Dipper insisted. Bill tapped Dipper's hat so that the rim came down over his eyes.

"That's what you think." He said as Dipper repositioned his hat. Bill snapped his fingers and his cane appeared in his hand. He leaned against it, waving one hand around in the air. "You see, I've been experimenting with the limitations of this human form, and..." Bill grinned and his eye and hand lit up with blue fire. "Well, let's just say things are a bit different in reality." Dipper said nothing as Bill tossed his cane into his other hand, the fire going out. "You see," Bill pressed the end of his cane against Dipper's chest, "since I'm in reality, I can _make_ you fall asleep. So, basically, you came to the roof looking for me, and I," Bill leaned forward, smirking, "sang you a lullaby, shall we say?" Dipper knocked Bill's cane away and stood.

"Wake me up. Now." Dipper ordered. Bill frowned and jumped into the air again, putting his cane over his shoulder, propping his arms up on it.

"Aw, come on, Pine Tree! You're getting the sleep you've been wanting!" He pointed out. Dipper crossed his arms, giving Bill a look. The dream demon sighed. "Fine then, Captain Buzzkill. Be that way." Bill snapped his fingers and Dipper jumped awake. The sun had set, and Bill was no where to be seen, once again. Dipper sighed, rubbing his eyes, and headed back to his room. He laid down on his bed, hoping that Bill would leave his dreams alone for once. Dipper rolled over onto his side and came face to face with Bill Cipher, who was floating horizontally in the air next to his bed. Dipper let out a scream, scrambling away from him. Bill laughed, sitting up in the air. Dipper put a hand to his chest, trying to calm his racing heart.

"Don't worry, Pine Tree!" Bill tapped Dipper's forehead and the boy's eyelids grew heavy as he fell down to his pillow. Bill grinned. "A night of dreamless sleep coming right up, courtesy of Bill Cipher!" Dipper fell asleep to the sound of Bill's laugh, and, for once, Dipper didn't mind that sound echoing in his head...


	5. Chapter 5

Dipper slept all night and well into the next morning. In fact, he was still asleep when Mabel came back from her friend's house. The sixteen year old girl tossed her bag onto her bed, smirking at her brother's sleeping form.

"I told him there was nothing to worry about." She mused to herself. She unpacked her bag and went to put her jacket away in the closet. When she opened the door she let out a screech. A rather dashing boy with gold and brown hair was hanging upside down from the shelf at the top of the closet.

"Hey there." He greeted as Mabel slammed the closet door closed and ran into the middle of the room. At his sister's scream, Dipper jumped awake.

"Mabel! What's wrong?" He asked, concerned. Mabel walked over to Dipper as Bill came out of the closet and leaned against the wall, smirking.

"Who's that, why was he in the closet, and is he single?" She wondered. Dipper opened his mouth to reply, then frowned at Mabel's last question. Before he could say anything, Bill walked up behind them and put his arm around her shoulder.

"Sorry, Shooting Star, but I'd only break your heart, and I believe that goes against me and Pine Tree's deal." He laughed. Mabel's face turned to that of horror as she realized who he was.

"Oh, ew! Gross! No! Never mind!" She exclaimed. Dipper couldn't help but laugh at that. Mabel pulled them to the side.

"Dipper, what is he doing here? What is he talking about 'deal?'" She inquired. Dipper rubbed the back of his neck.

"Well, you see what happened was..." He stalled, wondering how to explain this to his sister. Bill interrupted, putting his elbow on Dipper's shoulder and leaning against it.

"Some idiot thought it'd be funny to trap me in the form of one of you, meat sacks, so I came to ol' Pine Tree here requesting some assistance. Of course, Dip Dop, being the great guy he is, punched me in the face." Bill broke off into a laugh, making Dipper flinch.

"Dude, I told you not to call me that." He grumbled. Bill shrugged.

"Yeah, and I didn't listen. Anyway, long story short, Pine Tree's gonna help me find out how this happened and help me fix it, and in return, I won't harm you for the rest of your natural life!" He continued bluntly. Then he smirked. "How does that make you feel, Shooting Star? You're brother is willing to put up with _me_ to keep you safe!" He laughed again, but this time it didn't sound as real. Dipper rubbed the back of his head, pushing Bill's arm off of him.

"It's not that bad." The boy mumbled, attempting to console his sister. His words seemed to comfort the dream demon more, who broke out in a big grin.

"I can fix that." He joked. Dipper laughed, shaking his head.

"No no, I'm good, thanks." He assured Bill. Mabel was looking from her brother to the chaos god, a look of confusion on her face. After a few more moments of awkward silence, Bill began rocking back and forth on his heels, whistling some tune neither of the twins had ever heard before.

"What are you singing?" Dipper wondered. Bill smirked at him.

"I'm not singing anything." He replied, a mischievous glint in his one visible eye. Dipper rolled his eyes.

"Whistling. What are you _whistling?_ " He mended. Bill shrugged and floated up into the air, sitting on one of the rafters.

"Does it matter?" He asked, hanging by his knees. Mabel was shaking her head, her eyes closed.

"Nope. Nope nope nope, this is just too much. Gravity Falls is filled with weird stuff, but...this?" She shook her head, walking towards the door. "I'm going to need a few minutes." She explained. Bill laughed.

"Aw, come on, Shooting Star, don't be like that!" Mabel looked at him over her shoulder, an uncharacteristic emotion in her eyes. Hate? Dipper had never seen that look in his sister's eyes before.

"Mabel..." Dipper began, hoping to bring his sister's jovial mood back. She just shook her head.

"It's fine, Dipper. Help him if you must, but...don't get me involved. Find some other lame deal to make that doesn't include me." She said. Dipper flinched at her words. While not said with any venom, they were still not like his sister.

"Mabel, what's wrong?" He asked, growing desperate. She shook her head and looked at him, taking a deep breath.

"Mysteries are your thing, Dipper. If you want to help Bill Cipher, whom locked me in a prison bubble and destroyed the town, mind you, go ahead. I won't interfere. Whatever is going on between you two, I'm not getting involved. I'm sorry, Dipper. Any other circumstance and I would help, but..." Her eyes drifted to Bill, who had long since jumped down from the rafter to stand next to Dipper. She gave her brother a smile. "I'll see you later, bro bro." Then she left. Dipper gaped at the closed door, shocked. Bill hesitantly put a hand on his back, like he wasn't sure how to comfort someone.

"Er, there there, Pine Tree." He attempted, patting Dipper's back. The teenage boy shrugged Bill away from him, walking over to his bed, sitting down on the end of it. Bill rubbed the back of his neck, unsure of what to do in a situation like this. _How does one comfort a human..._ He sat down next to Dipper, who didn't even look up. They sat there, neither of them saying anything. _What are you doing, Cipher?_ What was this strange feeling within Bill? Was he...nervous? His stomach fluttered uncomfortably, and he frowned.

"It feels as if I have swallowed moths." He said, breaking the silence. Dipper furrowed his eyebrows than began to laugh as he registered the strange statement.

"You mean you have butterflies in your stomach?" He clarified. Bill looked at Dipper, confused.

"It would appear so. But when did I eat such a creature?" He inquired. Dipper laughed harder, shaking his head.

"Dude, it's just an expression. It means you're nervous. It's like having the jitters. It happens a lot when you're around someone you like." He explained. When he realized what he had said, his face drained and he looked straight ahead, suddenly feeling very awkward. Bill smirked.

"What is it, Pine Tree? Have you devoured the creatures that flutter?" He teased. Dipper got to his feet, shaking his head.

"No." He lied, his stomach churning. Bill laughed.

"Really? Not even if I do...this?" He questioned, jumping up and hugging Dipper from behind. Dipper tensed up, his face bright red.

"N-No! Now, let me go!" He stuttered. Bill Cipher laughed more and put his chin on Dipper's shoulder.

"Why? Does this make you uncomfortable? Do you have the jitters?" He laughed. Dipper was shaking slightly, his cheeks burning. "Aw, Pine Tree! You're so _adorable_ when you're nervous!" Dipper set his jaw.

"I'm not nervous." He insisted. Bill faked a frown and spun Dipper around so that they were face to face.

"You mean to tell me that you don't have any winged creatures in here?" He asked, poking Dipper in the stomach. The boy tried to pull away, but Bill grabbed his arm.

"Bill, stop, please!" He said, his throat tight. Bill smirked evilly, his eye glinting.

"Admit it, Pine Tree, you get butterflies around me." He insisted. Dipper smirked at him, which caught the demon off guard.

"You got them first." He pointed out. Bill's smile disappeared and he frowned as his stomach churned uncomfortably. The chaos god let go of Dipper and stepped back. The distance between the two of them caused the churning to subside. Dipper crossed his arms and Bill laughed, leaning up against the wall.

"It seems we've reached a stalemate." He admitted. Dipper smirked, allowing himself a slight laugh.

"Speaking of _stale..._ when's the last time you brushed your teeth?" The sixteen year old inquired, pretending to smell something horrid. Bill frowned at him, shrugging.

"Hey, I never had a mouth until now." He pointed out. Dipper shook his head, laughing.

"Go brush your teeth." He instructed. Bill huffed, turning away from Dipper.

"Fine." He grumbled. Then he smirked, glancing at the boy over his shoulder. "But I'm using your toothbrush." Horror crossed Dipper's face and Bill laughed, moving for the door.

"Oh, ew! That's disgusting! Bill, don't you dare!" Dipper shouted as he chased Bill out the door. The dream demon laughed, glad that Mabel had left to go down to the pool, and that the house was empty, so that his cover wouldn't be blown. Bill ran into the bathroom, Dipper close behind. Bill laughed, leaning against the counter, Dipper laughing as well, grabbing his toothbrush before Bill could get it. Dipper tossed Bill a new toothbrush and was about to leave the room when Waddles, Mabel's now over sized pig, walked by the bathroom and bumped the door with his side. The door closed and there was a soft click. Dipper tried to turn the handle, but it wouldn't budge.

"You've got to be kidding me..." He groaned, hitting his head against the door. Bill looked up at Dipper, toothpaste spilling off his toothbrush.

"What?" He asked around the toothbrush that was now in his mouth. Dipper just hit his head against the door again.

"Who puts a bathroom lock on the _outside?!_ " The boy exclaimed. Bill's face flushed as he continued brushing his teeth. He was seriously beginning to regret teasing Dipper about the butterflies in his stomach...


	6. Chapter 6

"S-So it'll be t-two hours until someone gets b-back?" Bill stuttered, already beginning to feel claustrophobic. Dipper rolled his eyes and sat on the lid of the toilet.

"Yes, Bill, two hours. If you'd quit asking how long, it would feel shorter." Dipper snapped. Bill frowned and sat on the edge of the counter. He let out a laugh, a hand to his stomach.

"I've got to stop eating winged creatures." He joked. Dipper didn't look at him. He kept his eyes trained on the ground. Bill frowned again and tapped the boy with his foot. "Pine Tree." He called. Dipper pretended to not hear him. Bill continued to tap his arm, his head, his back, over and over. "Pine Tree, Pine Tree, Pine Tree." He said with every poke. Dipper closed his eyes, trying to ignore the dream demon. "You can't ignore me forever, Dipper!" Bill mused in a sing song voice. Dipper furrowed his eyebrows, not used to hearing the demon say his name. Suddenly, Dipper's hat left his head.

"Hey!" The boy cried, indignantly leaping to his feet. Bill got to his feet too, on the counter, laughing and holding Dipper's hat high above his head. Dipper crossed his arms, glowering at him. "Now, what about that is fair?" He inquired. Bill rolled his eyes, well, eye, and stepped down onto the toilet lid, taking off his top hat and pulling on Dipper's hat.

"There. Happy?" The demon inquired. Dipper tried not to laugh.

"You look _terrible_ in blue, Bill." He laughed. Bill smirked and crossed his arms, turning up his nose. Dipper groaned, still laughing. "Give me back my hat!" He insisted. Bill glanced at him and shook his head.

"You'll have to come get it." He teased. Dipper rolled his eyes, smiling.

"Bill, I will pull you off that toilet, I swear." He laughed, unable to stop. Bill started laughing as well as Dipper grabbed the demon's leg and attempted to pull him off balance. Bill floated into the air, bringing Dipper with him. When Dipper's feet left the ground, he momentarily panicked and wrapped his arms around Bill's waist so as not to fall. Bill didn't seem to notice. He was too busy laughing, trying to keep Dipper's hands away from the hat.

"Here, I'll trade you!" He offered, pulling the top hat onto Dipper's head. It was getting hard to breathe, they were both laughing so much, as Dipper attempted to climb up Bill to reach his hat. It wasn't until the teenager had successfully swapped the hats again that he realized just how close he was to the dream demon. His arms were wrapped around Bill's shoulders from when he had climbed up to get the hat, and the demon's hands were on Dipper's waist, helping to keep him from falling back to the ground below. Dipper felt his face growing hot, despite his best efforts to keep it from doing so. Bill's cheeks were growing pink as well, but he laughed it off.

"You feeling any butterflies yet?" He questioned in reference to their earlier conversation. This made Dipper's face flush even more and Bill laughed again. In an attempt to get away, Dipper quickly pushed Bill, letting go, forgetting that he was in the air. Dipper's legs hit the toilet and his back hit the edge of the bathtub. Bill laughed as he floated back down to the ground.

"I'll take that as a yes." The demon guessed. Dipper glared at him, rubbing his sore spots as he sat up. Bill's smile faded when he saw that Dipper was hurt, and he sat down on the floor on the other side of the bathroom, which just so happened to be only a few feet away from Dipper. Bill scratched the back of his head.

"I told you you couldn't ignore me forever." He tried for a joke. Dipper huffed, putting his chin in his hand.

"I wish I could." He grumbled. Bill's attempt for a smile disappeared again and he brought his knees up to his chest.

"Oh." Was all he said. Dipper sighed, rubbing his nose.

"I didn't mean that, Bill." He told him. Bill just shook his head, shrugging.

"Sure you did. I mean, all I've ever done is cause you trouble. I'm a flipping chaos god, for crying out loud. You'd have to be mad to put up with me, let alone like me." The demon buried his head in his arms and guilt pierced Dipper's chest. He shifted over closer to him, not sure, exactly, what he was doing. He put his arm around Bill's shoulders and squeezed him lightly. Bill looked up at Dipper's touch, surprised. Dipper gave him a small smile.

"Everyone's a little bit insane, Cipher. It's something we've got to live with." He reasoned. A smile flickered onto Bill's face.

"Yeah. I guess so." He said, looking at his hands. Dipper's stomach was so tight he felt like he might puke, but he didn't move away from the demon.

"And...who knows?" Dipper began, his voice trembling with the effort of speaking, his throat tight with nervousness at being this close to him. Bill glanced at Dipper, waiting for him to finish his statement. Dipper smirked. "Maybe I _am_ mad."


	7. Chapter 7

"I can't believe you let me fell asleep." Dipper muttered, rubbing sleep out of his eyes, looking in the mirror. The alleged two hours that the boys would be locked in the bathroom had quickly turned into three hours, then four. They heard a phone message that Stanley had been arrested for the night for some crime that didn't surprise Dipper, and another one that said Mabel was spending the night at Candy's house this time, as opposed to Grenda's, so Dipper Pines and Bill Cipher were locked in the bathroom until someone came home in the morning, or if Soos ever thought to come upstairs, which he rarely did. Not to mention the fact that Dipper didn't want to have to explain Bill to anyone that didn't already know about him. Meaning, they were stuck here until Mabel came home. Dipper saw Bill shrug in the mirror, rolling his shoulder to try and wake it up again.

"You were tired, and it's not like there was anything else for you to do. Besides..." The dream demon smirked as he stood up off the tiled ground and walked up behind Dipper, looking at himself in the mirror. "You were pretty adorable with your head resting on my shoulder, fast asleep. It took all I had not to enter your dreams and annoy you!" He teased. Dipper made a face.

"I did _not_ fall asleep on your shoulder." He contradicted. Bill pursed his lips and raised an eyebrow.

"Really? And how do you know? I was the one that was awake." He pointed out. Dipper rolled his eyes.

"Whatever." Defeated, Dipper turned on the faucet and drank from the tap. After a few sips, he stood up straight again, turning off the water and wiping the stray droplets off of his mouth. He turned and looked at Bill, a disgusted look on his face. "And don't call me adorable." He instructed before drinking from the faucet. Bill shrugged and began stretching out his legs.

"Whatever you say, Butterflies." Dipper spit out all the water he just drank, grabbing a towel and wiping off his face and the mirror.

"What did you just call me?" Dipper inquired, turning around to look at Bill, who was doing a backbend to try and stretch out his back, having been in an uncomfortable sitting position for an hour and a half while Dipper slept. He grinned at the boy upside down.

"Stick to Pine Tree?" He guessed.

"You'd better." Dipper growled, which made Bill laugh, standing back up again without using his hands.

"Well, someone woke up on the wrong side of the dream demon." He remarked, mimicking a pouty face. Dipper rolled his eyes and sat on the edge of the bathtub.

"Is there such thing as the right side of a _demon?_ " Dipper wondered. Bill considered it.

"Good point." He admitted. The two sat there for a few moments, falling into the awkward silence that aways seemed to accompany any conversation that had. Bill ran his hand through his hair, then looked at his hand. Then he looked at Dipper for a moment. Dipper furrowed his eyebrows. He was about to ask what the dream demon was thinking when Bill leaned forward and ran his fingers through Dipper's hair, knocking off his hat in the process. Dipper tensed up when Bill touched him, and didn't even make a grab for his hat until the demon took his hand out of the boy's hair. His hand shaking slightly, Dipper picked up his hat.

"What the _hell_ ," he began, pulling his hat back onto his head, "was that?" Bill shrugged, sitting on the edge of the counter again.

"I had never felt anyone's hair, other than mine. I wanted something to compare it to." He explained, as if it was completely normal. Dipper blinked a few times, looking at Bill like he was crazy, which he was.

"You..." Dipper shook his head, a hand to his head. "You are so weird." He said finally. Bill laughed.

"Yeah, okay, now tell me something I don't know!" He teased. Dipper didn't say anything. He just sighed.

"This is going to be a long night." He admitted after a few minutes. Bill pursed his lips.

"Well...we could find some way to pass the time?" He suggested. Dipper raised an eyebrow.

"With your version of fun or mine?" The teen questioned. Bill laughed again.

"Do you even _have_ a version of fun?" The demon countered. Dipper laughed.

"Ouch, dude!" Bill frowned, concerned.

"Have I hurt you?" He wondered. Dipper looked at Bill with a look of amusement on his face and Bill blushed. "Oh, right. As in my words have 'burned' you. Would you care for some ice?" He mended with a smirk. Dipper was laughing so hard at the whole situation that his cheeks were red, and his hand was clutching his side. The boy lost his balance on the edge of the bathtub and fell in. Bill grinned evilly as the boy tried to get back to his feet. Dipper froze when he saw what Bill was about to do.

"Bill Cipher, I swear, if you turn on that water..." He threatened. The demon's hand was already on the handle. The only thing Dipper had time to do before Bill turned the shower on full blast, all the way cold, was yank the demon forward so that he fell into the bathtub with him.

"WHO WOULD EVER WANT A SHOWER THIS COLD?!" Bill exclaimed, attempting to pull himself from the bathtub, which had been plugged and was slowly filling up. Dipper laughed, tossing his hat out of the shower so it wouldn't get ruined, his hair and clothes matted down. He watched as Bill tumbled out of the bathtub, soaking wet, his plastered to his face. Dipper just laughed, sitting crosslegged in the middle of the shower. Bill looked at him and started laughing as well.

"You're insane." He told Dipper, shutting off the shower and holding out his hand to help the boy up. Dipper took his hand, but instead of pulling himself out, he pulled Bill back in to the bathtub that had filled with water. Dipper laughed as Bill struggled to get back up and stepped out of the shower, grabbing a towel. He tossed one to Bill, who had finally managed to get out. The demon pulled the plug to drain the tub then began to towel off his hair. Dipper did the same, then looked down at his clothes, frowning. He was glad that he hadn't put on his vest this morning, otherwise the journals could have been destroyed. Still, the problem remained that he was locked in a bathroom with Bill Cipher, and his clothes were soaking wet. Thankfully, there were some only recently dirtied clothes at the top of the hamper in the corner, and there were shorts and shirts for both the boys. Bill laughed as Dipper tossed him the clothes.

"No thanks, kid. I'd rather remain wet." He said, tossing the clothes back. Dipper rolled his eyes.

"Whatever. Just, I don't know, hide behind the shower curtain or something while I change." He instructed. Bill shrugged, slinging his towel over his shoulder.

"I've got eyes every where, Pine Tree." He pointed out. Dipper's face turned bright red and Bill burst out laughing. "I'm kidding! I'm not a creeper! If you need me, I'll be hiding under my towel." The dream demon opened his towel and let it drop on his head, then he sat down on the toilet.

"Your eyes had better be closed under there too!" Dipper called as he changed clothes.

"Yes, Mother!" Bill teased. Dipper rolled his eyes as he pulled on his new pants and buttoned them up. "Are you done yet?" Bill groaned, pulling the towel off his head.

"No! I don't have a shirt on!" Dipper exclaimed, throwing his shoe at Bill, who just knocked it aside and laughed.

"Don't be such a girl, Pine Tree! I've been inside your body before, I think I can handle you shirtless!" He pointed out. Dipper made a face.

"Okay, that sounds wrong on so many levels." Bill just shrugged and laughed again.

"It's only dirty if you make it dirty." He countered. Dipper rolled his eyes and pulled on the other shirt.

"You're insufferable." He groaned. Bill smirked at him.

"So I've been told." He replied. Dipper couldn't keep a straight face. He rolled his eyes and ruffled Bill's wet hair so that it stood on end, which only made him laugh more.

"Oh, that's a good look for you." He mused. Bill looked at himself in the mirror and laughed. He grabbed Dipper's arm and pulled him forwards, ruffling the boy's wet hair so that it looked like Bill's.

"Nah, it looks better on you." The dream demon insisted. Dipper laughed, shaking his hair back into place. As Bill fixed his hair, he let out a yawn. "Huh...interesting. I believe that I am...tired." He yawned the last word and Dipper huffed a laugh, putting a hand on the demon's shoulder.

"You're human now, Bill, and human's need to sleep." He pointed out. Bill blinked a few times, the exhaustion now apparent on his face.

"So they do. And it seems...that I...haven't slept...in a trillion years..." He yawned, swaying on the spot. His eyes drifted closed and he passed out.

"Whoa!" Dipper exclaimed, catching him before he hit the floor. He sat down on the floor, Bill's head in his lap. He smiled slightly at the peaceful look on the chaos god's face. Dipper involuntarily began running his fingers through Bill's golden hair, leaning against the wall. And, slowly, Dipper began to fall asleep too, lulled by Bill's slowed breathing and the soft texture of his wet hair...


	8. Chapter 8

When Bill woke up again, he wasn't in the bathroom. The dream demon sat up, slightly alarmed. He was surprised to find himself lying on Dipper's bed, the boy no where to be found. At least not within the boundaries of the attic room. Bill yawned, rubbing sleep out of his uncovered eye. Something felt off about him... He felt hot and cold at the same time, and his head swam as he looked around. Just then, the attic door swung open and Dipper walked in carrying something in his hands.

"Good," he began, closing the door with his foot, "you're awake." Bill frowned slightly.

"Well, good morning to you to." He mumbled before breaking off in a cough. "Agh! What is this? Have you poisoned me, Pine Tree?!" The demon accused. Dipper rolled his eyes walking over and helped Bill lie back down once he had finished coughed.

"No, I didn't _poison_ you, Bill. You're sick. It's what you get for sleeping on the cold bathroom floor in wet clothes. Not to mention you have the immune system of a small child, seeing as your human form hasn't been exposed to very many viruses or bacteria yet." The teen explained. Bill raised his eyebrows, impressed with Dipper's knowledge.

"Oh. Well...how does one become not sick?" The dream demon wondered. Dipper shrugged.

"Take medicine and wait it out. Oh, and here. Eat this, it'll help you feel better." The boy handed Bill a bowl of chicken and noodle soup, which he cautiously accepted. Bill laughed slightly.

"I hope _you_ didn't make this, Pine Tree!" He teased. Dipper frowned at him.

"No, Mabel did. She's also the one who let us out of the bathroom and figured out you were sick, so you can get over yourself and eat the soup." He snapped. Bill winced slightly.

"Yeesh, kid, take a chill pill! It was a joke! Besides, I never poked fun at the soup or your sister, it was all directed towards you. Cause you're just special that way, Pine Tree." Bill explained wit a wink, swallowing a spoon full of the soup. Dipper sighed, sitting down on the edge of the bed.

"Oh yeah, I feel _so_ special." He retorted, which made Bill smirk slightly, sipping another spoonful. Once Bill had finished the soup, Dipper set it aside on the bedside table, then pressed the back of his hand against Bill's forehead, checking his temperature. Bill raised an eyebrow at him when he hand lingered for a few moments before pulling away, but he said nothing, which was another indicator that he wasn't feeling 100%. Dipper sighed and crossed the room to grab Journal 3. He then sat down at the end of the bed so Bill couldn't see the pages, but so he could participate in the conversation.

"Since your stuck in bed for a while, I guess we might as well start figuring out who or what did this to you and how to change you back." Dipper suggested. Bill just shrugged, closing the eye not covered by the eyepatch. Dipper pursed his lips as he opened the journal. Bill didn't say or do anything. Beginning to worry, Dipper retrieved another one of the Journal's from across the room, number 1. He walked over and held it out to Bill.

"Here, you can help me look." The demon opened his eye slightly, looked at the journal, looked at Dipper, then closed his eye again and rolled over to face the wall. Dipper set the journals aside and crouched down next to Bill, coaxing him to roll back over so he could check his temperature.

"Bill, are you alright? You've only got a low fever." Dipper informed him. The demon rolled onto his side to look at Dipper.

"Pine Tree, I...I've been thinking, and...I want to change the deal." Dipper furrowed his eyebrows.

"What? How so? Why?" He inquired.

"Well, it just isn't appealing to me anymore. Besides, Shooting Star doesn't want to be a part of it, so we'd might as well change it!" He pointed out. He sighed, turning onto his back.

"If you help me learn to live in reality, I will protect the Pine's family with my life, and whatever powers of mine I still possess. Do we have a deal?" He proposed. Dipper frowned slightly.

"What's the catch?" Dipper wondered. Bill smirked, laughing slightly.

"Your stuck with me." He replied. Dipper considered it.

"But, Bill, in reality like this, as a human, your powers are limited." The boy pointed out. Bill shrugged, rubbing his eye again to rid of sleep.

"So? I'm still more powerful than you." He countered with a yawn. Dipper smirked laughing slightly.

"Oh, yeah, sure, if you say so." He teased. Bill smiled slightly and held out his hand, which lit up with blue flames, his eyes glowing as well.

"Do we have a deal, Pine Tree?" He inquired. Dipper chewed his lip for a moment, debating with himself.

"This means you'll be stuck with me too, you know." He noted. Bill just grinned and held his hand out more. Dipper set his jaw and took Bill's hand. He smiled and shook it firmly.

"Deal."


	9. Chapter 9

"You're kidding me. You are _freaking_ kidding me." Dipper slammed the door behind him, walking once again into an empty room. "Even when you're _sick_ you still manage to piss me off! _"_ Dipper shouted at nothing. He groaned and hit his forehead against the wall. _Why can't he just stay in one place?_ Dipper wondered to himself as he grabbed his jacket and pulled it on to go out into the rain and look for the demon.

Nearly the moment Dipper stepped out of the doorway and onto the wet grass, he was soaked. Thunder rumbled and lightning flashed through the dark sky.

"Bill!" Dipper shouted, hoping to catch the demon's attention, wherever he may be. The teen ran around in the pouring rain, calling over the storm, but to no avail. Dipper was about to give up when a figure appeared at the edge of the forest. Dipper squinted to try and make it out, but between the rain and the darkness, he couldn't. As the figure came closer, lightning flashed through the sky, revealing Bill Cipher, drenched in rain, blood staining his yellow vest, carrying something in his arms.

"Bill Cipher, where have you been?" Dipper demanded. Bill smirked at him slightly, amused by the boy's concern.

"Relax, Pine Tree. I'm keeping up my end of the bargain." He explained, gesturing with his head to what he was carrying in his arms. Dipper's heart dropped.

"Mabel?"

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Dipper Pines, if you don't stop pacing this room I'm going to tie you to a chair." Bill threatened. Dipper glanced at the dream demon, his eyes clouded with concern for his sister.

"But, Mabel..." The boy began. Bill rolled his eyes, getting to his feet. He interrupted Dipper's worries by putting a hand on his shoulder.

"...is fine. The manotaur didn't harm her other than a few bumps and bruises. Besides, I put her to sleep before any real damage could be done, so she hasn't really felt any pain. By the time she wakes up, she'll be good as new. If it makes you feel any better, the big oaf isn't going home completely in tact." He consoled. Dipper tried not to be disturbed by Bill's words, seeing as the demon had a strange view on what was comfort and what was just, well, disturbing. The teen frowned and looked at his sister's sleeping form, for once not uncomfortable with Bill's hand on his shoulder.

"I know, but... I can't help but worry." Dipper admitted. Bill half smiled and hugged him from behind, making Dipper's stomach flutter slightly.

"It's okay, Pine Tree." He assured him. He let out a slight laugh and spun Dipper around to face him, his hands now on his shoulders. "Have I ever broken a deal?" The demon inquired. Dipper thought about it for a moment.

"Yeah, when you possessed my body and broke the laptop!" He said. Bill shook his head, laughing.

"Nope! You see, I said I'd help you out, and I _did_. If the laptop wasn't broken, you wouldn't have gotten anywhere with it! _And,_ I said I wanted a puppet. It was _you_ who failed to specify which ones I could choose from." Bill countered. Dipper frowned, slightly irritated that the used-to-be-triangle was right.

"Oh...then...no. Not that I can think of..." Dipper finally replied. Bill smirked.

"See?" The demon inquired, lightly tapping Dipper on the nose. "You have nothing to worry about!" Dipper screwed up his face when Bill tapped his nose, which made Bill laugh, letting go of his shoulders. Dipper walked over and sat next to Mabel on her bed, putting a gentle hand on her head.

"You had better be right, Cipher." He worried. Bill pursed his lips, thinking. He snapped his fingers when he had an idea.

"Oh, I know what'll keep your mind off things!" He exclaimed. The demon grabbed Journal 3 off the bedside table, but as opposed to opening it up, or running away with it, he grabbed Dipper's arm and pulled him over to sit on the other bed, then sat down next to him. Bill handed Dipper the journal, whom looked at the book and the demon skeptically.

"What is this for?" Dipper wondered. Bill grinned, reaching in to Dipper's vest pocket to retrieve a pen. Dipper had managed to stop chewing pens like he used to, but every now and then, if he was really thinking hard, he'd catch himself biting at the end of one. Bill twirled the pen in his hand.

"We're gonna do some deciphering!" He said with a flare, tossing Dipper the pen. The teen caught it, slightly surprised by Bill's words.

"Deciphering?" He repeated. "What for?" Bill rolled his eyes and bumped the boy with his shoulder.

"For fun, silly!" He laughed. Dipper smirked slightly. _At least this time his version of fun isn't causing pain._ Dipper thought to himself. The boy shrugged and opened up the journal to his page of various codes and ciphers. Bill laughed and pointed to a few of them, saying things like "I remember that one!" or "Man, that one took you forever to figure out!"

"Well? What are we going to decipher? There's nothing here!" Dipper wondered. Bill clicked his tongue, shaking his head. He put an arm around Dipper, huffing a laugh.

"Pine Tree, Pine Tree..." Bill paused and looked Dipper in the eye with a smirk. "You do realize who you're talking too, right?" Dipper grinned as Bill leapt to his feet, flourishing his arms.

"I _invented_ code! Why else do you think they call it a _cipher?_ " The demon laughed, then broke off in a cough. Dipper grabbed Bill's hand to pull him back to a sitting position.

"You're still sick, Bill, be careful." Dipper warned. Bill just shrugged and took the notebook from Dipper. "Hey!" The boy cried, grabbing for the book. Bill stopped him by putting a hand on his chest.

"Relax, kid. What have I to gain by destroying this journal now?" He pointed out. Dipper frowned and was about to say something when Bill plucked the pen from his hand, clicking it open and turning the journal to one of the blank pages. He tapped his chin with the pen, humming in thought.

"You're too good at the other codes," he voiced his thoughts, "so I'll just have to make a new one!" He exclaimed. The demon began to scribble something in Dipper's journal, and Dipper attempted to see what it was, leaning into Bill's arm. Bill glanced at Dipper and smirked. In his attempt to see the new code, he hadn't realized how close he was to Bill. The demon blew a puff of breath in Dipper's eye making him jump slightly, his hand going to is eye as he pulled away. Bill laughed and handed Dipper back the journal. The boy blinked, looking at the coded phrase. He frowned at the letters doubled up with another letter in seemingly random patterns. The boy began clicking the pen in thought.

"This doesn't correlate with any of the ciphers I've seen before." Dipper noted. Bill hummed a laugh and put an arm around Dipper.

"That's because it's a new code I made up. Just to keep you entertained." He said before yawning. Dipper leaned back against the wall, a million different ways to solve the code floating through his head, and Bill leaned back as well, beginning to feel even sicker than before, thanks to being out in the rain. "And while you do that," the demon yawned, resting his head on Dipper's shoulder, "I'm going to sleep. Wake me when you're bored." And with that, the sick chaos god fell asleep, and Dipper didn't mind that he had become the pillow. Dipper just hoped that Bill would get better before the illness became something the teens couldn't handle without an adult. That was an explanation Dipper never wanted to give or even hear. He glanced down at Bill, whose head was on the boy's shoulder, and smiled slightly. Dipper rested his head against Bill's head, and continued working on the code.


	10. Chapter 10

When Mabel finally woke up, she raised her head and frowned. She looked over at Dipper's bed and saw her brother working on something in his journal, his back against the wall, his head resting against Bill's head, who was fast asleep on Dipper's shoulder.

"You two've gotten pretty chummy." Mabel noted, sitting up, rubbing her head. Dipper's head shot up at his sister's voice, and he leapt to his feet, making Bill fall over, his eyes flying open. Dipper ignored the demon as Bill sat up and embraced his sister in a hug.

"Oh, Mabel, I was so worried..." He admitted, his eyes closed as he hugged Mabel tightly. Mabel returned the embrace, then pulled away. She looked over at Bill, who had gotten to his feet and crossed the room, leaning against the wall, to give the twins as much privacy as he could without leaving the room. Mabel pursed her lips, then sighed.

"Guess I should thank you, huh?" Bill just shrugged.

"Whatever floats your boat, Shooting Star." He replied before breaking off into a cough. Worry flashed through Dipper's eyes, and, despite herself, Mabel grew worried too.

"Bill, come here." She instructed. The dream demon stood up off the wall and walked over to the twins, only wobbling slightly as he walked. Mabel bit her lip as she felt Bill's forehead, and took a deep breath to calm her unavoidable concern.

"He's burning up." She reported, looking at her brother. Dipper's face was etched in worry, which made Mabel's stomach tighten. _Oh, Dipper...I hope this isn't a trick of his..._

"Perhaps I should step into the rain? Would that put out of my fire?" Bill wondered. Dipper and Mabel both looked at him, their eyebrows furrowed in confusion. _Was he serious?_ Bill blushed slightly. "Oh...not literal..." Dipper shook his head in disbelief. "Sorry." Bill apologized. Dipper laughed slightly.

"Hey, you get their eventually." The boy pointed out. Mabel was thinking.

"Hmm...you might be on to something, Bill. Maybe you need to take a nice long shower. I know I feel better after cleaning off." She suggested. Bill rubbed the back of his neck.

"Uh...yeah. Okay. Sure. I'll go take a shower." He said, leaving the room. Dipper and Mabel watched him leave.

"He has no idea what he's doing." Dipper guessed when the door shut.

"Nope." Mabel agreed. The two fell silent and Mabel looked at Dipper, who blushed madly.

"What?! No way I'm going to help him! You do it!" He exclaimed. Mabel rolled her eyes.

"All you have to do is stand outside the bathroom and make sure he doesn't kill himself. Besides, I'm a girl. It'd be weird if I was waiting by the door while a _boy_ took a shower." She pointed out. Dipper frowned at her, glaring.

"No way. It's just... _weird._ " Dipper repeated. Mabel sighed.

"You were locked in a bathroom with him for hours, Dipper! Things can't get much weirder!" She reminded him. Dipper shook his head again.

"Yeah, but we were both fully clothed!" He insisted, ignoring the time when he had to change clothes. Mabel groaned.

"You just have to stand by the _door_!" She shouted. Dipper flinched at her tone and sighed, giving in.

"Fine." He snapped, grabbing his journal and walking out into the hallway. He sat down against the wall by the bathroom door. He waited until he heard the shower turn on before opening the journal and continuing his work on deciphering the code. He chewed on the end of his pen as he thought. _What if the pairs of letters are meant to represent another letter? Like...a math equation! The number position of the letter in the alphabet plus the other letter's number position! No...that would equal more than twenty-six...._ Dipper scribbled out the alphabet at the top of his paper and numbered each letter. _I wonder... If you didn't split it evenly, then...._ Dipper shook that thought aside, scratching out the numbered alphabet. _No, that wouldn't work... Perhaps..._ A thought occurred to Dipper. Bill loved to trick the boy, so...what if the second number really meant nothing? And the number of the letter's position represented... Dipper pursed his lips, stumped again. How many ways could someone number an alphabet? And what if it wasn't the first letter, but the second letter? What if it alternated? Dipper groaned, clicking the pen angrily. Figuring out a cipher was much harder than just decoding one.

"You could have at least given me name for the code!" Dipper shouted through the bathroom door when he heard the shower shut off. He heard Bill laugh, but the demon didn't say anything for a few moments.

"Nope, but I'll give you some hints. Second is never the best, and every other!" Bill replied. Dipper suddenly had an idea. He scrabbled out the alphabet again, and numbered every other letter, keeping in sequence. When he reached the end of the alphabet, he went back and numbered the remaining letters with the remaining numbers in the sequence. _Second is never the best...so it is the first number! But..._ Dipper wrote another alphabet out, numbering it normal. Then he looked at the letters Bill had given him, crossing out the second letter in each pair. He was left with the following:

_GCYDBL YAUI IBIYQIL_

Dipper examined the letters, wondering which way the code went. _Do the letter's position represent the letter in the normal alphabet or the alternating?_ He sighed and figured he'd might as well try them both. Going from normal to alternate left him with this:

_MEXGCW XAPO QCQXHQW_

Dipper looked at his results and frowned. _Well_ , he thought to himself, _now I know which way it goes._ All Dipper had managed to do was double code the message, and he tried not to feel silly for doing so. He took a deep breath, growing excited, and he began to decode the message, going the other way around. His results were as follows:

_DEMONS MAKE ENEMIES_

"Demons make..." Dipper trailed off as he read the message allowed, slightly confused. Just then, there was the sound of a helicopter, and a window breaking. It came from the bathroom. Dipper leapt to his feet, praying that Bill was clothed as he opened the door. When he did open the door, he saw the government agents that arrested his great uncle all those years ago. They were attached by retractable wires to their helicopter outside. In their arms, was Bill Cipher, unconscious and only half clothed. He was wearing the jeans Dipper had given him, but he hadn't put on a shirt yet, revealing a tattoo on his back, the same markings that Bill was seen with in the journal. Dipper didn't look at Bill. Instead, he glared at the government agents.

"What are you doing?!" He snarled. Without replying, the agents jumped out the hole in the wall they had made, taking Bill with them. Dipper ran to the edge of the building, ready to jump off after them, but Mabel ran into the bathroom and grabbed his arm.

"No!" He cried as the helicopter flew away. Soos, Wendy, and Stanley ran into the bathroom.

"Dipper! What's going on?!" Stan demanded. Dipper ran his hands through his hair, panicking.

"They took him...they took him...they're going to kill him...Mabel, they're going to kill him, I just know it!" Dipper cried, grabbing his sister by the shoulders. Mabel grimaced. Poor Dipper had fallen for a demon, and there was nothing she could do about it, except for try to keep him safe.

"Dipper, it's going to be okay. He's going to be okay." Mabel promised. Dipper shook his head, bringing out the journal. He showed Mabel the cipher he had just solved.

"He knew this was going to happen, Mabel, he _knew it!_ And he let it happen anyway!" Stan walked forward and put his hands on Dipper's shoulders.

"Kid, what's wrong? Who was taken? Who knew?" Stan insisted. Dipper bit his lip, panic in his chest, desperation in his heart. His throat was stinging with worry, his eyes beginning to water.

"Bill. They took Bill Cipher."


	11. Chapter 11

"Wait...Bill Cipher?! You mean the triangle guy that basically tried to rule the world four years ago?" Stan exclaimed. Dipper didn't say anything. He was beginning to panic as images of what the government agents might do flashed through his mind. Mabel put her hands on his shoulders and turned him to face her.

"Dipper, look at me." She ordered. Her brother did as told, surprised by her fierce tone. She searched eyes, desperately looking for even a hint of doubt that what Dipper was experiencing wasn't what she thought it was. She found nothing. She sighed, looking at her feet for a moment before looking back at Dipper. "We're going to get him back, Dipper. I swear it." She promised. Dipper nodded in acknowledgement and thanks, taking a deep breath to calm his nerves.

"Alright. So, the guys that took him were..." Dipper began. Wendy cut him off.

"Wait, hold on, dude, I'm confused. So is this the same Bill that tormented the entire town, or not?" She wondered. Dipper nodded at her.

"In the flesh and blood." He replied. Stan furrowed his eyebrows.

"Wait...flesh and blood? You mean he's not a demon?" He questioned. Dipper shrugged.

"Technically, he's a human now, but he's still a demon. Somebody trapped him in human form, and he came to me to get help turning back, but now he's been captured." He clarified, putting emphasis on the _captured_ bit, just to remind them all that they might be on a tight schedule. Stan, Wendy, and Soos all exchanged glances, then Wendy smirked and drove her right fist into her left palm.

"Then lets go get him back!" She declared. Dipper smiled and turned to his great uncle.

"Grunkle Stan, these are the same agents that attacked the shack when you brought great uncle Ford through the portal." He informed him. "Do you know anything that might help us?" Stan thought about it for a minute.

"The capital thinks their crazy, what with all their ramblings about the supernatural, but they allowed them to have their own division for it. If they took Bill, then they probably aren't going to the president just yet. Most likely, they have a base somewhere local. If I had to guess, I'd say they're probably in that deserted forest a few miles from the town borders. It's so uninhabited, people forget to put it on the map." He figured with a shrug. "It's where I would put a base." He added, as if that solidified his prediction. Dipper shrugged as well.

"It's worth a shot. Soos and Grunkle Stan, you get the car ready. Wendy, Mabel, and I will go grab anything else we might need." Dipper ordered. The others exchanged worried glances before running off. Mabel put a hand on Dipper's arm.

"Dipper, it's going to be okay." She promised in a soothing tone. Dipper tried for a smile, but only half succeed.

"Come on, guys, we're wasting time!" Wendy called from down the stairs. The mystery twins said nothing else to one another as they raced down the stairs and grabbed anything they might need.

 _I'm coming for you, Bill,_ Dipper swore as he ran about the house, _all you've got to do is stay alive until I get there. Deal?_


	12. Chapter 12

Dipper, Mabel, and Wendy sat in the back seat of the car while Grunkle Stan drove, Soos in the passenger seat. Mabel had her grappling hook with her, as well some strange yet dangerous looking stun gun she had found in the workshop behind the vending machine. All their weapons were nonlethal, but that didn't mean they weren't dangerous. Dipper had a paralytic tranquilizer, Soos had a baseball bat, Stanley his brass knuckles, and Wendy had a pair of nunchucks. Dipper tried to not be disturbed by the fact that they had all of those weapons in the house, and instead focused on the fact that his family was willing to help him get Bill back, even after everything the demon had done. Even  Mabel, who obviously didn't like Bill, was ready to fight to get him back. Dipper would have smiled had he not been so worried. _What if we're too late? What if they're not even here? What if one of us gets hurt?_ They would be breaking and entering on government property. He didn't know much about government policies when it came to the agents, but he was pretty sure that meant they could shoot first, and ask questions later.

This suddenly didn't seem like such a good idea. Dipper looked out the window so the others wouldn't see the doubt in his eyes. As they got closer to their destination, Dipper grew nervous. His stomach churned and fluttered, and he couldn't help the small smile that came to his face. Mabel looked over at him, her eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

"What is it?" She wondered. Dipper shook his head.

"It's nothing. I've just got butterflies, is all." He replied. Mabel pursed her lips, almost convinced that her brother had finally lost his mind, but she just shrugged and went back to talking with Wendy. Dipper looked out the window again as the town boundary whisked by. They were getting very close now. The whole situation seemed surreal, yet painstakingly real at the same time. And while Dipper was anxiously awaiting their arrival, he almost wished the car would never stop moving. He didn't want to know what faced him at the end of this tunnel, especially since the negative outcomes greatly outweighed the positives. Stan pulled the car over into the cover of the trees and bushes, turning it around so that they could make a quick get away. Dipper suddenly smacked his forehead in frustration.

"Oh, _dammit!_ " He exclaimed. The others looked at him in question. He gestured to the car. "We don't have room for Bill!" He pointed out. Grunkle Stan shrugged.

"I'll steal something. We'll be fine, kid, let's go." He decided, getting out of the car. Dipper frowned, not exactly on board with that plan, but got out of the car nonetheless. Once everyone was equipped with their weapon of choice, the large base just visible through the canopy of trees and trunks, they started forwards, moving quickly and quietly towards whatever fate lay before them...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know these past few have been exceedingly short, but that just means we're getting close to the climax *insert generic winky face*


	13. Chapter 13

Once the Pines and Co. entered the base, chaos ensued. Alarms blared as invisible sensing lasers were triggered, and the sounds of booted footfalls grew closer as the group ran blindly down the halls.

"Split up!" Somebody ordered. Dipper immediately ducked into another hallway and pressed himself against the wall just as three agents ran past him. He was breathing heavily, fear making it hard to catch his breath. He heard the sounds of gunshots a few hallways down and winced, closing his eyes. _Oh God...what have I gotten us into?_ He wanted to give up. He wished he could go back in time to the day on that porch, and tell himself to lock the door and run, because none of this would have ever happened if he had refused to help the demon at his doorstep. His tranquilizer trembling in his hand, Dipper took a deep breath, getting his thoughts under control. He dared to close his eyes for a moment, pressing his hand against his jacket to make sure his journal was still there. He opened his eyes again, checked to make sure there wasn't anyone waiting around the corner, and started forward. He jogged through the hallways, unnerved by the lack of agents in his area. _Does this mean the others have already been captured?_ He thought to himself nervously. Just as he considered this thought, he caught movement out of the corner of his eye. His head whipped around in time to see Mabel sprint down the hallway he was headed towards. He picked up the pace to reach the doorway, then pressed himself against the wall, his tranquilizer prepped. He spun out from behind the wall and fired. There was a small grunt then a _thump_ as the agent hit the ground. Mabel skid to a halt and turned around. She only had time to give Dipper a small smile before more alarms went off and a door closed between them. Dipper wanted to call out, but he didn't want to call anyone to their location. Dipper looked down at the paralyzed agent, whose eyes were following his every movement. Dipper crouched down and pulled the gun out of his stiff hand. The agent's eyes flooded with terror, but Dipper didn't touch him. Instead, he took the gun and threw against the wall with all his might. The gun slammed into the metal, bounced back and tumbled across the floor, the pieces scattering. Dipper let out a relieved breath, worried that the gun would have gone off instead of breaking. Suddenly, another door started closing down the hallway, getting ready to lock Dipper in the hallway. The teen gasped slightly and sprinted forward, caution forgotten as he made a mad dash for the closing door, sliding down from the ceiling. _I'm not going to make it..._ He realized. Suddenly, he remembered reading something in the journal. Before he could even process just what it was he was remembering, he raised a hand to the door and shouted:

" _Tempus claudum_!" He cried. There was a flash, and the door stopped moving. Dipper stumbled to a halt in shock. _That actually worked?_ He thought to himself incredulously. He blinked a few times then kept going, wonder what he had just done. It wasn't until he came across three government agents seemingly frozen in place that he decided to get out the journal and look up his spell.

"Time Halt..." He read aloud. He scanned the page, pulling out his small black light pen he carried around, double checking that there weren't any drastic side effects. He didn't find anything, except a vague warning about not over exerting oneself. The spell Dipper had casted was only temporary, though, so he'd have to move fast.

By the time Dipper Pines found the door he was looking for, time was beginning to catch up with him. He heard the alarms beginning to start up again, slow and lethargic, drawn out. The sounds of the emergency doors sliding closed were picking up once more. Time was speeding up, but nothing was moving as fast as Dipper's heart. With every door he opened, he grew even more anxious, and he slipped a little deeper into despair. After struggling with the codes of the first few doors, Dipper had decided to risk using another spell.

" _Non potest cohibere crinem me._ " Dipper recited, his hand resting over the coded lock for the door. There was a soft click and Dipper slouched a little as exhaustion was piled onto him once more. The time spell had worn off, the alarms blaring once more. The teen opened the door and all fatigue vanished. Inside the room, strapped to the table, bleeding and barely conscious, was Bill Cipher. Dipper ran to him and grabbed his wrist to check his pulse. At his touch, Bill's eyes flitted open, and a small smile flickered on his face.

"Took you...long enough, Pine Tree." He managed to say. Dipper struggled with the leather straps and metal cuffs around Bill, the sounds of footfalls getting closer. Bill grabbed Dipper's hand.

"Stop it. Get out of here..." He ordered, forcing Dipper to look at him. The boy furrowed his eyebrows.

"But..." He began, Bill cut him off.

"Just _go_." He insisted. Dipper set his jaw, pulling out the journal and skimming through, searching. "Dipper..." Bill growled, already loosing his strength again. Dipper ignored the dream demon, despite him calling the boy by his real name. He read over the spell a few times, then put the book back in his jacket. He let his hand hover just above the straps and metal, then closed his eyes and focused.

" _Quod vinculum solvere vincla!_ " He recited. With a _chink_ , the metal cuffs cracked in half and the stressed leather released its tension and snapped back. Before Dipper could do anything, Bill grabbed him by the shoulder, harsh and angry.

"Don't you _ever_ cast a spell again, Pine Tree, you hear me?" He snarled, sitting up. Dipper just gaped at him, shocked by his anger and his words. Despite only recently discovering he could use the journal's chants and spells, he had grown fond of it, despite how exhausted it made him. Bill sighed and Dipper helped him to his feet. He was still missing a shirt, his chest marked with gashes and bruises that made Dipper's stomach churn in anger and slight queasiness.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean that. It's great you can use magic, but..." Bill trailed off into a smirk. He nudged Dipper with his elbow. "You look _terrible_ , Pine Tree." He laughed and Dipper rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, cause you look _so_ much better." He teased back with a small grin and slight laugh. Bill gave him his usual smile, his eyepatch moving up and down as he wriggled his eyebrows.

"Of course I do, Dip-Dop! You mean to tell me I _don't_ look good?" He questioned. Dipper mocked him with a shrug. Bill crossed his arms indignantly, his fake shock plastered on his face.

"What, no butterflies?" Bill teased, poking Dipper's stomach. Dipper laughed again, his relief that Bill was alright blinding him from their situation. He shook his head.

"Come on, let's get out of here." He suggested, letting Bill lean on him so he could walk. They had just gotten to the door when footsteps behind them made the two turn around.

"Where do you think you're going? You and the demon aren't going anywhere, Dipper Pines. Especially now that we know you can use magic." The door slid closed and before anyone could do anything, something hard hit Dipper in the back of the head. His knees gave way and he fell to the floor. His head hit the cold surface and he slipped into a world of black....


	14. Chapter 14

Dipper's eyes opened slowly, his head throbbing, his memories blurring. With a slight groan, he blinked and raised his head to survey his surroundings. The room was grey, metal walls and ceilings. The floor was white tile, with a drain in the middle for reasons Dipper didn't want to find out. There was a one way mirror, and he was seated at a metal table, in a metal chair. Due to all the metal, the room was harsh, it's very structure draining all the warmth from Dipper's body, making him feel empty and cold. He shivered slightly and looked at himself in the mirror. He didn't look any different than when he had left the Shack, except for the knot he could feel forming on the back of his head. He also realized that he wasn't strapped down in any way, shape, or form. On the table in front of him was his  
Journal. He didn't doubt that there were cameras watching him, but maybe if he used the right combination of spells, he could...

"Mr. Pines." Dipper jumped at the voice and sat back in his chair as a government agent came into the room. He didn't sit down, and he didn't smile. Instead, he took off his glasses and tossed them onto the table. Dipper watched nervously as the man rubbed the bridge of his nose, his eyes closed in thought. After a few more moments of awkward silence, the man spoke up.

"My name is Agent Moore. We haven't met, but I know a lot about you, Dipper Pines. Like how that isn't your real name, that four years ago you and your twin sister came to Gravity Falls, Oregon for the summer, that you used to have a crush on a Mystery Shack employee named Wendy Corduroy, that you have had many experiences with the mysteries of the town...the list goes on, Dipper, but what concerns us the most is that for the past few days, you've been harboring a known supernatural criminal. The same criminal, as a matter of fact, that tried to ruin your life." The agent explained. With every word, Dipper fell deeper in to dread. He felt violated, and...doubtful that he was doing the right thing. Nonetheless, Dipper kept his mouth shut and did nothing more than stare at him. Agent Moore sighed, sitting down in the chair across from the teen.

"Now look where we are. You've trespassed on government property. You've attacked federal agents and officers. We could lock you and the rest of your family away for the rest of your miserable lives." He informed the boy, his calm tone already shifting to a darker one. Dipper didn't say anything again. "However," the agent began carefully, "we would be willing to drop all charges, if you do something for us." Dipper set his jaw.

"No." He growled through clenched teeth. Agent Moore raised an eyebrow.

"But you haven't even heard our demands, yet." He pointed out smoothly, his voice a veil, masking any emotion he might have. Dipper crossed his arms stubbornly.

"I don't care. I'm not doing anything for you people." He snapped. Agent Moore examined him for a moment before pulling out a walkie-talkie.

"Kill the fat one." He ordered in to it. Dipper's stomach dropped and he sprung to his feet.

"No, you can't do that!" He exclaimed. Agent Moore sat back in his chair, watching Dipper with a cool, emotionless gaze.

"The government funds us, Dipper Pines, they don't control us. The only way you can save your friends and family is to do as we say." He informed him, his tone growing harsher and more inhuman as he went. Dipper bit the inside of his cheek, closing his eyes for a moment.

"What do you want from me?" He asked. Agent Moore smirked slightly.

"Call off the execution, the boy's complied." He said into the walkie-talkie. Dipper narrowed his eyes but said nothing else. The agent set aside the walkie-talkie and laced his fingers in front of him, leaning on the table.

"Sit down." Agent Moore ordered. Dipper obeyed, sliding back into his chair in silence. The agent gestured with his head at the journal in front of them. "This journal has magical spells and incantations within it, don't bother denying it." He added the last bit when he saw Dipper opening his mouth. The boy closed it again. "Now, we were going to just take the book and arrest you, but..." Agent Moore sat back in his chair before continuing. "...we've run into a rather unfortunate circumstance." He admitted. Dipper didn't prompt him to continue, even though it was obvious that was what the man wanted. Nonetheless, Agent Moore continued.

"You see, it seems that only certain people can use the magic. So far, the only people we've seen who can use this magic is you and your demon." His words made Dipper's stomach turn slightly.

"He's not my demon." He muttered quickly. He agent smirked.

"Is he not? So...he didn't make a deal to protect you?" He wondered. Dipper set his jaw, his gut burning. He shook his head stiffly. Agent Moore laughed.

"Right." He agreed sarcastically. Dipper suddenly felt like this deal he had made might get Bill in danger.

"It's true! He wanted to make that deal, but I refused! You could kill me right now, and Bill wouldn't so much as bat an eye!" He declared. He winced slightly. Maybe he had gone too far... The agent narrowed his eyes.

"You're trying my patience, Dipper. Stop being foolish before I test that theory of yours." He snapped. Dipper crossed his arms but said nothing else. After loosing a brief glaring contest, Dipper sighed in defeat and slouched dejectedly.

"What do you want me for? I mean, sure I can do magic, but...what good is that to you? It's not like I can make you some super weapon or whatever." He reasoned, his cool demeanor from early becoming one of panicked anxiety, now that he knew all that was in the balance. The agent chuckled slightly, enjoying the boy's discomfort.

"Only certain people have the natural ability, but anyone can be taught, if they get exposed to it enough. You're going to do any of the spells we want you to, and we're going to record you doing it for later use. Oh, and just so you don't get any ideas and try to escape with your magic..." Agent Moore took out a small tv screen like object and set it on the table. It was live footage of Bill, strapped to the table again, unconscious as he had been when Dipper found him. Except this time, there was a strange machine hooked up to him. Dipper furrowed his eyebrows, confused.

"That, Dipper Pines, is our fail safe. You see, different curses and incantations have certain...properties to them. This room is wired so that we will know exactly which spell you're casting. And the minute the sensor picks up something we don't like..." Agent Moore pushed a button on his watch and Bill sprang to life on the screen. Dipper could see the electricity that coursed through him, and though he couldn't hear anything, he saw the pain and it was enough to make the boy turn away, his stomach twisting in on itself uncomfortably, his eyes squeezing shut.

"Do you understand?" Agent Moore inquired. Dipper nodded slowly, still not looking at the agent or the screen. "Good. I'll be back in an hour for your first assignment." He heard the sound of the chair scraping against the floor, heard the man clear his throat, then heard him leave. It wasn't until the room had been silent for a few minutes that Dipper looked back at the camera. Bill was limp, his chest heaving, pain etched on his face, despite the machine being turned off. The dream demon opened his one good eye and looked directly at the camera. Dipper wondered if Bill could see him too? Did he have his own screen in the room? Dipper raised a hand and tried to smile slightly. Bill didn't react, and Dipper's hopes were shattered. The dream demon's pain filled eye slid closed and Dipper broke inside. He buried his head in his hands and cried...


	15. Chapter 15

It'd been two days since Agent Moore threatened Dipper with his family's life, and so far, the boy hadn't tried to pull any tricks. Dipper Pines did his every task without comment or complaint. His face was permanently slackened in a defeated gaze, and he rarely made eye-contact with anyone who came into the room. _Just do as your told,_ he'd think to himself, _and you'll be okay. No one will get hurt... You just have to wait it out..._ But he was beginning to think that he'd never stop waiting. He had no idea if his family and friends were safe, or if they were even in any danger. They could already be dead, for all he knew. As for Bill... Dipper tried not to look at the camera feed, but... Sometimes he'd look over, and his heart would shatter once more at the sight of him strapped to the table. Every now and then, he'd see a scientist or agent come in to run tests on him, but Dipper always refused to watch.

Adding to his sense of hopelessness was the exhaustion that came with casting so many charms and spells. He'd cast them and recast them, over and over until the people watching learned it. He could only teach two spells a day, before he would pass out from exhaustion and lack of motivation. He needed to get out. He _had_ to. But he didn't know how...

Dipper was sitting at the cold metal table, staring at his hands on the surface. He had just finished a flame spell, and he still smelled slightly of smoke. So many spells to choose from...he could use any of them to escape. But it'd be a race against the clock, and Dipper couldn't risk the life of any one of his friends. He'd just have to wait it out....

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Dipper presumed it was day three. He couldn't actually tell. It was always bright in the room he was kept in. It was the same room in which he had met Agent Moore. He didn't know how long he had slept, or even what time it was, there wasn't a clock in the room. He based it off of when he finally felt rested when he woke up. If he didn't feel refreshed from sleep, then it hadn't been a night of sleep. That's all he had to go off of. Now, though, that method wasn't working very well, because he slept often, and almost never felt fully rested. The other day, he had passed out halfway through a spell, and nearly turned the agents learning into melted human corpses. Agent Moore's punishment for him was no meals for a week. He told Dipper that he should be relieved he wasn't being punished harshly, then stormed out of the room without giving Dipper what the boy guessed counted as a meal.

They fed him a slice of stale bread and some water, once every two days, if Dipper went according to his sleep pattern. The teen was already beginning to show bone, especially in the stomach and cheeks. His hands would shake whenever he reached out for something, or went to cast a spell. He often had coughing fits that hurt his throat and chest and left him craving water to soothe his burning throat. He'd found out what the drain was for at the beginning of his captivity. Dipper wasn't allowed to leave the room, even to go to the bathroom. Every day, right before Dipper would go to bed, a small water jet would come down from the ceiling and clean the floor, which often resulted in Dipper's cloths getting wet once more. Thankfully, the agents allowed him to cast a dry spell on the journal and himself, but he couldn't find the energy to keep himself and the journal dry, so he decided to protect the journal. Wet and cold in the harsh metal room, it was miraculous that the teen didn't get sick before he did.

He shivered all the time, and was constantly sniffling and coughing. It steadily grew harder and harder for him to wake up and stay awake, and despite their indifference, the agents were beginning to worry. Maybe two weeks of nonstop spell casting did have its toll...? After brief discussion and a few heated arguments, it was decided that Dipper would have two days off, and be sent to the medical ward just to make sure he wasn't going to drop dead on them.

They moved him while he was sleeping. The boy only slightly stirred when they picked him up off the cold wet floor and set him on a gurney. They tried to take the journal from him, but it was gripped tightly in his arms, and when they tried to move, the boy eyes fluttered open for a moment before closing again. Not wanting to wake him and risk making a commotion or even an escape attempt, they let the boy keep the journal. They wheeled him down the hallways, taking extra turns and wheeling back the way they came, then turning back around, just incase he wasn't actually asleep, and was tracking their movements. When they finally reached the medical bay, Dipper was beginning to toss and turn. The agents weren't worried about him waking up now. They knew from observation that when Dipper slept like this, he was deep in a dream and wouldn't wake up for a while longer.

The agents moved Dipper from the gurney onto one of the cots in the hospital. The doctor came in with a stern look on her face.

"You'd better not be bringing that demon in here. Last time I tried to give him medicine, he..." She trailed off when she saw who was on the cot. Her eyes widened slightly, but she didn't call the agents out on the seventeen year old's condition. Instead, she set to work. "Go get some food from the cafeteria. Real food, please. You can't expect this boy to get any better without some food in his system. The rest of you can go about your business." She ordered. The agents snapped to attention, then two went to the kitchen while the rest went back to whatever they had been doing before.

The doctor took Dipper's temperature, gently removing the journal from his hands. At the absence of the book, Dipper's eyes flew open and he sat up in panic, eyes wide, chest heaving as he pulled himself from his nightmare. The doctor hushed him gently, brushing the boy's hair out of his eyes, smiling encouragingly.

"You're okay, it's fine. Your journal is right here, sweetie, it's alright. I'm going to help you feel better." She said softly. Dipper furrowed his eyebrows in confusion. These people were...helping him?

"W-Why..." Dipper began, his voice breaking off into a cough. The boy swallowed painfully then narrowed his eyes at the doctor. "Why should I trust you?" He growled. The doctor frowned slightly.

"You have no reason to." She replied honestly. She leaned forward, pretending to take Dipper's temperature. She whispered in his ear and she fiddled with the thermometer. "But you trust your demon, don't you?" Then she injected him with a sedative and Dipper's eyes drifted closed. _Trust..._ He thought as he slipped into a troubled, medicine induced, sleep. _Trust...trust...trust no one..._

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

When Dipper woke up again, the room was dark, and he still felt exhausted. Not to mention he felt even worse than before. His forehead was beaded with sweat, yet he was shivering. His stomach was on the verge of eating itself, and his throat was painfully dry. He tried to sit up, but ended up coughing instead. The coughs racked his whole body, scraping up his throat and causing spots of blood to spatter onto the white, papery sheets of the cot in the medical ward. Dipper groaned slightly, a hand on his burning throat. _At least it's more comfortable than the metal floor._ As if to prove the point to himself, Dipper laid his head back down. The pillow wasn't soft, by any means, but it was better than what he had been sleeping on. To the right of his head, Dipper saw his journal. _So she wasn't lying..._ Dipper realized. Suddenly, he remembered what else the doctor had said. _But you trust your demon, don't you?_

Dipper let out a yawn, his eyes fluttering closed for a moment. What had she meant by that? Dipper pondered this as he raised a trembling hand and reached for his journal. Before he got there, someone grabbed his hand. Dipper was about to cry out when the voice hushed him and covered his mouth. Dipper froze, looking up into one golden eye, the other covered by a triangular eyepatch. Dipper felt his eyes begin to water in relief, and when Bill Cipher gave him a small smile, he couldn't help but the tear that slid down his cheek. Dipper quickly wiped it away, and Bill laughed softly. He sat down on the bed next to Dipper and helped him sit up.

"How did you escape? And where did you get your shirt back?" Dipper wondered. Bill searching Dipper's eyes for a second, debating on how to answer.

"Pine Tree, this...isn't real. You're asleep." He replied. The teen's heart sank slightly, but he didn't comment. After a moment of silence, Bill sighed and spoke again.

"Listen, Pine Tree, I need you to do something for me." He requested. Dipper raised an eyebrow as a signal to continue. "I need you to stay alive, alright? Pretty soon, Dr. Carson's going to come back in with some food for you, so you're going to wake up and I'll have to leave. But listen to me, okay? No matter what happens, and no matter what you see or hear, stay alive." He instructed. Dipper furrowed his eyebrows slightly.

"What about you?" He wondered. Bill smirked.

"Don't worry about me. I'm holding up my end of the bargain. Just...get better, okay? Get better and get ready. We have friends here, and they're going to help us out. When you hear the prison breach alarm, find Dr. Carson. She'll lead you to the rendezvous point. There, you and your family will be able to get away." He continued. Dipper opened his mouth in question and in protest, but Bill raised his hand to silence him.

"Nothing you can say or do will change anything. But you have to swear to me, Dipper Pines. Swear on _everything_ that you will stay _alive._ " He insisted, almost aggressive in his tone. Dipper nodded numbly, his sick mind still trying to understand and comprehend.

"I-I swear." He finally said. Bill smirked and got to his feet. He tipped his hat to the boy on the cot.

"See you around, Pine Tree." With a flash, Bill disappeared and Dipper woke up, his sheets still stained with his coughed up blood. _I must have fallen asleep when reaching for the journal,_ he decided. There were light footfalls crossing the room, and then the light at the bedside table turned on. Dr. Carson gave Dipper a small, knowing smile, as if she had known that Bill was going to visit him in his dreams. All thoughts of what the doctor knew and didn't know left Dipper's mind when he smelled what she had in her hands. It was a bowl soup and a warm piece of bread. She set the styrofoam cup of whatever on the counter and helped her patient sit up. Once upright, Dr. Carson carefully handed Dipper the bowl of soup and a spoon. Dipper immediately got a spoonful and ate it. Within minutes, the bowl was empty and Dipper was sopping up the extras with the bread. Dr. Carson laughed slightly.

"Guess you are as hungry as you look." She remarked. Dipper handed her back the bowl, coughing into his arm as he did so. The doctor saw the blood stains on the sheet and pursed her lips. She fished around in her pocket until she brought out three throat lozenges. She let them fall into Dipper's hand.

"Here, space the use of these out, and drink lots of water. I'll be back in a little while with some cough medicine and throat coat. It should help, at least, with breathing easier. I can almost hear the congestion in your chest from here." She told him, getting to her feet again, collecting to bowl and spoon. Dipper did as he was told, popping one of the cough drops in his mouth and taking a few sips of the cold water. He almost sighed at the immediate relief, and he let himself lean against the wall and his pillow, saving his energy for whatever it was Bill was planning. A few minutes later, Dr. Carson came back with medicine. She gave some to Dipper, took his temperature, then left. Dipper sighed, looking around the room. He ground his teeth against the cough drop out of nervous habit. It was basically the parallel to chewing pens. Dipper looked over at the journal, debating on wether he should sleep or review magic. The idea of casting spells was still strange and foreign to him, even though he had been casting them for two weeks. It didn't feel like he was actually performing _magic_ of all things. He had done incantations before, but that was a while ago, back when he entered his great uncle's mind to save the shack, the first time he had met Bill... And then again when he summoned those zombies to convince the agents...

Dipper's stomach sank. This was his fault. This was all his fault! If he hadn't convinced those two agents that the supernatural existed, they never would have reported it and gotten the government's permission to do what they were doing now! Dipper closed his eyes and put his hands on his face, his stomach churning uncomfortably. _It's not like you knew what they were going to do..._ He told himself. At the time, he had thought that all things supernatural were bad, and dangerous. He was just desperate for someone to help him uncover all the secrets of Gravity Falls.

Still, his stomach was burning and churning. This wasn't guilt, Dipper had had enough experience with that. No, this was something different. The discomfort was rising, climbing into his throat. There was a moment of slight panic as Dipper realized what was coming. He managed to pull himself to the edge of the bed before he retched. His stomach took everything he had just eaten and threw it back up onto the floor. Dipper gagged, coughing, his throat burning. He felt miserable. He felt like giving up, like crying... The teen raised a trembling hand and picked up the cup of water. He brought it to his lips, his hand shaking badly, splashing water over the edges and onto the floor and the cot and his shirt. He only got a few sips before his unsteady hand hit the cup against his chin and sent the water pouring out onto the floor. Dipper groaned slightly, not even bothering to roll over. He collapsed, his arm hanging over the edge of the cot. He pressed his forehead against the cold metal, breathing deeply, his eyes closed.

He heard a small gasp and felt gentle hands helping him back into position on the bed. Dr. Carson had brought a rag soaked in hot water and folded it over Dipper's forehead, eyes, and nose. The boy's eyes immediately began to water at the heat, but he didn't have the energy to try and move it off. He heard the sounds of the doctor cleaning up his mess and getting him a new cup of water. Dr. Carson took the rag off of Dipper's forehead and gently began to clean his face and arms. The entire time she cleaned the boy, she whispered to him under her breath.

"You need to get better, Dipper. Your demon can't hold out much longer. He's not going to be able to wait for you. If you aren't well enough to make a get away, everything will go to waste. So, get better." She said quietly. Dipper coughed slightly, grabbing her arm.

"Why do people keep saying that?" He managed to say, though it hurt. Dr. Carson pursed her lips. "It's not like I can just _order_ myself to..." Dipper trailed off and looked at the journal next to his bed for the third time that day. Dr. Carson seemed to read his thoughts, and she shook her head slightly.

"Dipper, even if there was a spell to make you better, you don't have the strength! Not to mention healing spells are the most powerful. Except for necromancy, of course." She explained. Dipper furrowed his eyebrows. He was going to ask how she knew so much, but just then Agent Moore came into the room, seeming irritated about something. Dr. Carson exchanged glances with Dipper before getting up and approaching the man.

"Agent Moore, is there a problem?" She wondered. The agent rubbed the bridge of his nose between two fingers, taking a deep breath.

"The demon has...locked himself up, shall we say. He's got some spell around him that won't let us get any closer to him. He demanded that..." Agent Moore trailed off for a moment, looking over at Dipper. "He demanded that Dipper Pines be kept from performing magic at all costs. And to insure that..." The agent brought out a small pill like object and handed it to Dr. Carson. She furrowed her eyebrows.

"But why would Cipher not want Dipper to use magic? I thought he'd support the idea." She wondered. Agent Moore sighed.

"I did too. But according to the monster, the use of magic at only seventeen can be lethal, which is why he was getting so tired so easily. His demon seems to care a lot about him. Usually, I wouldn't care, but if we're going to learn anything about the supernatural, we have to hold up our end of the bargain. Cipher says this pill will brand him with a powerful spell, making it impossible for him to use magic until he is eighteen years old." He explained, sounding annoyed at Bill's stubborn attitude. Dr. Carson looked at the pill, at Dipper, then back again. The teen was only half able to listen, slipping in and out of consciousness.

"Will it take away the side-effects of the spell casting he's done in the past two weeks?" She inquired. Agent Moore shrugged.

"So says the demon." Was his response. Dr. Carson pursed her lips and walked over to Dipper. She helped him into a sitting position, and handed him the cup of water. Not exactly knowing what was going on, Dipper took a sip, and before he could swallow, Dr. Carson popped the pill into his mouth. Dipper swallowed out of shock, and the minute he did so, there was intense pain in his arm. Dipper cried out, clutching the burning arm to his stomach in a vain attempt to dull the pain. He didn't have much time to try and figure out what was hurting more, his head or his arm, before all the pain disappeared and Dipper fell back onto his pillow, breathing heavily. He looked down on his right arm and saw dark marks, like a tattoo, in the shape of a sign he knew all too well. The Cipher Wheel from Bill's page in the journal had been branded into his arm. Dipper looked at Dr. Carson, confused. The doctor handed him the journal.

"Here, try casting a spell." She instructed. Dipper took the book, surprised that his hands were shaking anymore. In fact, he was already feeling better. He still felt sick, of course, but he wasn't so exhausted that he couldn't function. Dipper flipped open Journal 3, his stomach fluttering slightly when he passed over the page where Bill gave him the new cipher. He located an easy looking spell and started the incantation, only... He couldn't. Any time he went to start the spell, no noise would come out of his mouth. It was as if something was in the back of his throat, closing his wind pipe every time he attempted to say an incantation. After a few more attempts, Dipper closed the book angrily, putting his hands over his face in frustration.

"Dammit, Cipher, what are you doing?" He growled under his breath before breaking off into a cough. Dr. Carson offered him water, but he just shook his head, lying back in irritation at his predicament. Just when he had started to feel like he could actually do something...

"If that's it, I think I'll be getting back to work." Agent Moore said with an air of boredom in his voice. Then he left the room. Dr. Carson looked at Dipper, a concerned look on her face.

"Dipper, whatever he's up to, your demon has a reason for..." Dipper cut her off.

"Stop calling him that. He's not _mine,_ he's his own being. Also, I don't care what he's up to. If he wanted me to be safe, he could have told me from the beginning that you people were after him." The teen snapped, irritated that Bill's over protectiveness had rendered him useless. Dr. Carson seemed slightly hurt at being lumped in with ' _you people_ ' but she didn't comment. Instead, she just handed Dipper another handful of cough drops and left to go to her office in the back of the medical ward.

Dipper examined the mark on his arm, unable to keep his mind from wandering back to when he walked in on Bill cutting himself with the knife, simply because he thought it felt weird. Dipper smiled slightly at the demon's child like excitement for all things human.  _Next time I'll just go ahead and carve my name in you, then. Whatdya think, Pine Tree? Property of Bill Cipher?_ Dipper recalled what Bill had said to him, and couldn't help but feel that this was basically the same thing. Dipper smirked, rubbing a hand over the mark on his arm. Tiredness won over and Dipper yawned, laying down, closing his eyes, his anger at Bill turning into something that could have qualified as appreciation. _My demon..._ For some reason, the thought wasn't as unappealing as it had been. Dipper smiled and slipped into sleep...


	16. Chapter 16

Waiting. There wasn't much else the captive teen could so. He laid there, every breath baited in anticipation, unable to do anything. His safety, and the safety of his entire family, rested in the hands of a demon. Dipper had lost the only thing that made him feel like he could actually help. Now...he felt useless. He never said a word. He just sat there. He did as he was told, whenever Dr. Carson instructed him to sit up, or open his mouth, or breathe in and breathe out, whatever she needed to keep tabs on his health, he did. He was a puppet, his strings being pulled by the threat of the death of everyone he cares for. Every once in a while, an agent would come in with some sort of wound, wether it be a bruised bone, or a bad scratch, the agents came in and out.

One day, however, two agents were wheeled in on gurneys, another covered by a black tarp, followed by multiple battered scientists, doctors, and agents. Some were bleeding, some were limping, but only one looked about ready to kill, and that was Agent Moore. He had a bandage wrapped around his head, covering one of his eyes, the white cloth stained with blood. Dr. Carson came over to ask what had happened, but the agent brushed past her, setting destination for Dipper's hospital bed.

"Agent Moore, you can't..." Dr. Carson grabbed the advancing man's arm, and he pushed her away. She stumbled backwards, tripping over the edge of the cot and falling to the floor. She sat on the ground, unhurt but utterly shocked.

"That _demon_ is killing my _agents!_ " Agent Moore snarled, jabbing a finger at the gurney covered in the tarp. Dipper's stomach churned slightly. _Killing...? Oh, Bill...what have you done?_ Dipper Pines was torn from his thoughts when the enraged agent snatched up his arm, practically dragging him off the cot. Dipper tripped, but was unable to fall, the agent's grip too tight on his wrist. The teen attempted to wrench himself free, but Agent Moore held fast. He twisted the boy's arm behind his back harshly, which received a small yelp of pain.

"Let's see how he likes it on the other end." Agent Moore growled before shoving Dipper forward, leading him out of the room. Dipper looked over his shoulder in fear, and his eyes met Dr. Carson's. She was watching in horror as everything fell apart, unable to do anything about it. Then they rounded the corner. Agent Moore was anything but kind in his movements, shoving the teen forward anytime he stumbled or slowed. Dipper's arm was beginning to hurt from being pinned against his back, and he still felt a bit sick, so the pushing and rough treatment took its toll, making his head feel light, his movements unsure. Finally, they reached the door. Agent Moore input the code, then knocked Dipper inside, letting him go so that he fell forwards into the room.

"Pine Tree?" Bill's voice was surprisingly strong, considering the torment he had been put through for the past few weeks. Dipper shakily got to his feet again, looking up at Bill with a small smile. Then he remembered that Bill took away his magic, and anger flared up inside him. Still, the sight of the dream demon strapped to the table, covered in various IV needles that were drawing blood, and others that were injecting strange liquids and substances. He was bruised and beaten, but he still grinned in his annoyingly cocky way. His eyes found the mark on Dipper's arm and he smirked.

"Like my little addition?" He teased. Dipper rolled his eyes, and might have even laughed if it weren't for the fact that, just then, Agent Moore kicked him in the back, and he was sent sprawling again. Dipper could almost feel the tense anger in the air and he gasped, trembling, pushing himself to his hands and knees. The agent grabbed Dipper by the back of the neck and dragged him to his feet. Dipper Pines froze when he heard a gun cock and felt the cold tip of the barrel press up against his head.

"You've toyed with us, you've destroyed equipment, you've hurt my men, you've _killed_ us." Agent Moore growled. The gun started trembling in his hand, which made Dipper tense up even more. If he flinched on the trigger... "Y-You...you murdered my _son!_ " Agent Moore howled, tears forming in the eye not covered by the bloodstained bandage. "He was all I had left!" Bill Cipher said nothing. He just stared at the agent, his eyes narrowed, burning with an intense hatred unlike anything Dipper had ever seen. The teen would have felt a bit bad for the man, had it not been for the horrid treatment, the threats, and the gun pressed up against his head.

"So now...now..." The agent was falling apart. Tears streamed down his face and Dipper began to tremble in fear. Emotional people were dangerous people. "Now I'm going to...take everything from _you..._ " Agent Moore pressed the gun harder into Dipper's temple, and the teen squeezed his eyes closed, expecting the end. Nothing happened. He opened an eye, apprehensive. Bill was standing up, the needles and other equipment he had been hooked up to torn away and tossed aside. He had taken off his eyepatch, his eyes glowing intensely, especially the one that always remained hidden. The agent's gun began to tremble again, and the tears fell faster as he realized what was happening. The demon's eyes shone so brightly that it lit up the whole room. There was a flash and a glowing triangle formed in front of Bill's eye, the one that was usually covered.

" _Vitae nihil tibi nunc animus. Vos autem estis, et ego destruam mollia nervos._ " The dream demon began to chant. The agent was now shaking uncontrollably, and the gun turned away from Dipper's head. " _Vitae nihil tibi nunc animus. Vos autem estis, et ego destruam mollia nervos._ " Both of Agent Moore's hands gripped the handle, and he turned it around to face himself. Dipper's stomach dropped, his chest turning cold as he realized what was happening. He recognized the Latin Bill was chanting... It was a mind control spell. The caster controls the victims every movement. They can make them do anything they wish. It was powerful magic, only accomplishable after many _many_ years of practice, and it required an element of darkness, an evil the likes of which was rarely found in the living world.

" _Vitae nihil tibi nunc animus. Vos autem estis, et ego destruam mollia nervos._ " Dipper's eyes locked with Agent Moore's, the gun pressed up against his forehead. The man's dark brown eyes were filled with pain and sadness, pleading, desperate, yet also hopeless, as though he knew no help would come to him, and he was about to join his son in the afterlife...

_BANG!_

Dipper turned away, but he wasn't fast enough. He saw the bullet go through one end and go out the other, saw the blood and heard the body hit the floor. He gagged, stumbling away, grabbing the nearest object to keep himself steady. His eyes drifted over to the dead man, the inside of his head splattered on the wall, and Dipper Pines retched. He felt a hand on his back and flinched away. He looked up and saw that Bill had put the eyepatch back on, and had taken a shirt from one of the extras tucked away in the closet meant for the scientists and nurses. It was white and tight fitting, and it made the yellow parts of his hair look more gold than blonde. His eye had returned to a blue color, as opposed to the shining gold, and they were filled with concern.

"Pine Tree, are you okay?" He wondered, reaching out for him again. Dipper stepped back, unable to get the terrifying image of the demon's rage out of his head, the sound of the gun, the sound of the blood hitting the wall... Dipper shuddered and refused to meet the gaze of the dream demon. "Kid, I..." Bill glanced at the dead man before looking back at Dipper. "That other stuff I did, it was... I don't..." He struggled to explain himself, the look in Dipper's eyes paining him more than he'd like to let on. "Look at me...please..." He asked quietly. The teen turned farther away. "Dipper, can you at least look at me? Please! I...I..." Dipper's heart broke slightly and he slowly looked up at the demon. There were tears in Bill's eyes.

"I'm a monster, I know it, but... He was going to _kill_ you..." Bill insisted, his voice quiet and desperate. The tear fell down and Dipper couldn't help it. He wrapped his arms around him and pulled the demon into a hug. After a brief moment of shock, Bill returned the hug. They held each other tightly, as though they were scared at any minute, the other would fade away.

"You're not a monster, Bill..." Dipper began, pulling out of the hug to look at the brown and blonde haired teen in front of him. He scanned his eyes, their faces inches apart. "You're a demon. You're _my_ demon." With a small smile, they closed the gap between their lips.


	17. Chapter 17

Their special moment didn't get to last. They needed to get out of there. Their initial plan for escape would have to be evicted, seeing as there was no way the agents would let Bill or anyone in the Pines family live any longer after that show. Dipper knew that many cameras were wired to the room the dream demon had been kept in, and he didn't want to think about how many people witnessed what he had just witnessed. As Bill grabbed Dipper's hand and led him through the halls, another thought occurred to the teen, and his cheeks reddened. Bill glanced back at him.

"You okay, Pine Tree?" He wondered with a smirk as alarms started blaring through the agency.

"There were cameras in the room..." He realized, his stomach churning. Bill started laughing as he ran through the hallways. Dipper didn't think it was very funny, but seeing that Bill didn't seem to care relaxed him at least a little bit.

The two rounded another corner then skid to a halt. The way was blocked by a row of armed agents, all with their guns pointed at Dipper and the demon's heads.

"Don't move!" One of them ordered. Bill smirked again, his visible eye flashing.

"I was going to say the same thing to you. _Tempus claudum!_ " He announced. The agents stopped moving, but the alarms were still going off. Dipper furrowed his eyes in confusion as they continued on their way again.

"Why didn't everything stop?" He wondered aloud. Bill glanced at him as they slowed down, reaching the section they'd been looking for.

"Mind control takes a lot out of ya, kid. I didn't want to waste any unnecessary energy, so I just pinpointed the halt in time." He explained as he waved his hand over a keypad, muttering something under his breath. The keys started to shine, their brightness fading based on the order in which they needed to be pressed. Dipper couldn't help but feel a bit jealous. Why did Bill have to take away his magic ability? What if something happened? What if someone got hurt and Bill wasn't there to help?

"Hello? Earth to Pine Tree? Or do you not want to save your family?" Bill called, snapping Dipper out of his thoughts. Bill raised an eyebrow at him and Dipper just rolled his eyes again, leading the way through the door. He grabbed an agent by the shoulder to brace him and drove his fist hard into the man's gut, making him double over, then kneed him in the face, knocking him out. Dipper brushed himself off as Bill gaped at him. The teen smirked.

"What? I told you I'd been practicing, remember?" He teased. Bill rubbed his nose as he recalled the boy's punch. Dipper laughed for a moment before he remembered where he was, and all humor left him. "Come on, we need to find them." He said sternly, calling them back on track. Bill nodded and closed his uncovered eye, focusing as much as one could when alarms were screaming in your ears.

His eye opened again and he gestured in the right direction before taking off that way. Dipper followed quickly, matching his stride step for step. The dream demon came to a stop right outside a cell door. The insides of the cell were cold, damp, and cramped. It was miserably dark, and all warmth and happiness seemed to be sucked into the drain in the middle of the floor that served as their toilet. Dipper's heart ached at the sight of his disheveled family, and he wrapped his fingers around the bars, feeling slightly unstable at the sight and smell. A slight sob escaped his lips.

At the noise, Mabel's head shot up and she spun around. Her brown eyes were still filled with determined joy. It was almost as if, after the events of Weirdmageddon, she refused to let herself lose hope ever again. At the sight of him, though, they filled with relieved tears and a smile trembled into existence on her face. She leapt to her feet and ran forwards, trying to hug her brother through the bars.

"Dipper!" She sobbed, clutching his arms, his shirt, anything she could reach through the bars as the others looked up in surprised jubilation. Dipper and Bill coaxed her off so they could open the cell door. The dream demon waved a hand across the lock pad then punched in the numbers. With a _chink_  and clattering of metal against metal, the cell opened and Mabel threw her arms around her brother once more. She hugged him so tightly he was finding it a bit hard to breathe.

"Oh, Dipper, we thought they _killed_ you! We thought we were next! We thought...we thought..." She cried, tears of joy mixing with exhausted dejection. Dipper hushed her lightly.

"I know, I know. It's okay. Everything's gonna work out, it's fine. Come on, we don't have much time to waste." He reminded her as he pulled away, trying for a reassuring smile. Bill just stood to the side, not saying a word as he watched the scene play out. He didn't make eye-contact with anyone, not even Dipper. It was almost as if some horrible thought had come to fruition within him. His eyes had a glassiness to them that could only be described as dread. When he caught Dipper looking, however, he quickly smirked, wiping the look from his eyes.

"Pine Tree's right. We've gotta get the heck out of dodge if you guys value your lives." He pointed out. Stan narrowed an eye at the dream demon, but didn't comment as he nodded and motioned for Wendy and Soos to exit the cell, following soon after. Bill and Dipper locked eyes when the sound of booted footfalls came from the hall.

"We're out of time." Dipper realized, his stomach turning cold. Bill smirked slightly and winked at him.

"Leave time to those dorks in the future." His eye shone gold and blue flames danced on his hand. He spun around and threw a ball of fire at the wall. The explosion ripped open the metal and shattered the concrete, sending debris flying everywhere. A section of the ceiling started falling down towards the group, but Bill held out his hand and the object froze where it was.

"Go! Hurry!" Bill instructed, still weakened from his weeks of experimentation and his recent mind control escapade. He wouldn't be able to hold it up for long. Dipper started towards him, but the demon glared a warning and Mabel took his hand, practically dragging him out of the building. Just as the agents and soldiers burst through the door, Bill leapt forward and let the section of the ceiling drop, crushing the agents underneath it. The dream demon fell to one knee, breathing heavily. Dipper pulled away from his sister's grasp and knelt beside him.

"Bill! Are you alright? We've gotta go! More agents will be here any moment!" He asked urgently. Bill huffed, a hand to his covered eye.

"Stupid human body and it's limitations." He grumbled, wobbling to his feet with Dipper's help. The group moved away from the agency painfully slow, but Bill didn't have the energy to run, and Dipper refused to leave him behind, ergo his family went slowly as well.

"Freeze!" Came the shout behind them. Without waiting to see if the group would comply, agents and soldiers opened fire on the escaping experiment and their leverage. Bill mustered up as much energy as he could and shoved Dipper away from him to safety, out of the direct line of fire. He thrust a hand in the family's direction and an invisible barrier formed, making it impossible for anyone to get closer to Bill and the agents, or the other way around. Dipper was too shocked at first to really process what was going on, and only rolled onto his hands and knees to be able to see. Bill raised both his hands as gun shots rang through the air and a massive ball of flaming blue and gold energy formed between them. The energy kept growing and growing, seeming to seep from Bill himself. Then, with a shout of anger and effort, Bill Cipher launched the fireball at his enemies and their base. The agents were incinerated on contact and the entire base exploded in a mass of flames, debris, and light. The chunks of stone and metal couldn't penetrate the barrier-like-forcefield Bill had put up, and soon everything settled.

The forcefield dropped but Dipper didn't move. He just sat there for a moment, his mouth ajar. There was a rustling in the trees as Dr.Carson appeared, having escaped the base once the alarms went off, but Dipper didn't pay any attention. His eyes were on Bill, who was breathing heavily, his back to the group. Everything was okay...right?

Bill Cipher fell to his knees, and Dipper was jolted out of his shocked immobility. He raced forward and caught the demon before he could fall all the way to the ground and gasped. Bill smirked weakly up at him.

"Like I said," he croaked, "s-stupid human l-limitations." The dream demon's body was riddled with bullet holes, the white shirt stained with blood. His hands trembled, his body shaking.

"H-Heal yourself..." Dipper told him, his throat tight. Bill winced slightly and tried to shake his head.

"I-I...can't..." He breathed and Dipper's eyes welled up with tears.

"No... You're going to be okay! D-Demons can't get killed like this, right?" He insisted. Bill raised a weak and bloodied hand to his face, his fear beginning to show in his eyes. His uneven breathing started to come in short, painful rounds, and he attempted a smile, but it didn't work. A panicked tear dripped down his face as he rested his hand against Dipper's cheek.

"No, b-but humans can." He whispered. Agonized fear mixed inside of Dipper's distraught heart and his jaw trembled as he grasped Bill's hand.

"No, please... Please, you can't..." Dipper began desperately. Bill closed his eyes against the pain for a moment, grunting slightly, fear making his already labored breathing hard to achieve.

"D-Dipper, it's okay. It's okay, I..." He tried to stay brave, tried to make it seem not as bad, but he gasped in the agony that flared through his body and he felt himself slipping away, felt himself wanting to give in, and terror boiled over in him. Tears streamed from his eyes and he clutched Dipper fearfully.

"D-Dipper, I'm s-scared...I don't want to die...I don't...It h-hurts..." He sobbed, and it tore Dipper apart. The teen didn't say a word, though, as he held Bill close to him, squeezing his eyes shut against the reality of it all. He could feel the demon's heart racing, uneven and rapid, he could feel his body shake as he cried on his shoulder. Dipper's hands were covered in blood, and his family was standing in shock a few yards away, but he didn't care. He rubbed Bill's back soothingly and began to hum the tune the demon had been whistling what felt like ages ago. As he hummed, he could feel Bill starting to relax, and he realized why he knew the song. It was the lullaby Bill had sung him to put him to sleep when he was testing out his powers. Dipper started to sing softly so only Bill could hear.

" _The sun sets as you close your eyes. Rest assured, my dear, that like the sun, when you rise, I will be here_." He recalled the words. Bill let out a sigh, and didn't breathe back in. His heart didn't move, and neither did he. Dipper's throat tightened painfully as the demon went slack, but he refused to let him go. He continued to sing, rocking back and forth, his voice shaking as tears dripped down his face, his eyes closed against the agony, still holding Bill's body close to him.

" _Don't let your fears into your mind, dream a good dream for me tonight, for when you rise, my dear, I will be here. You're safe now, darling, don't wake, don't fear, for I will always be right here._ "

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The "Lullaby" isn't an actual song. Well, it is, technically, but not a published one. It's one that I sort of made up on the spot for this chapter. So... yeah. Hope you liked it...? And please don't hate me XD There's a book 2 and 3 for a reason XD


	18. Chapter 18

The sun beamed down on Dipper, battering him ruthlessly, punishing him for the colors he wore. Dressed in all black, Dipper Pines was standing in a secluded section of the woods outside of the Mystery Shack. He clenched his fists, the bright, beautiful weather seeming to mock the situation, laughing at him and his misfortune. It should've been raining. The skies should've been black, everything lifeless. Nothing deserved to be happy, or bright, or anything. The world should be mourning. Instead, only Dipper was.

His sister had been out there after the body was buried, but only to be there for her brother. She was sympathetic, of course, but... She hadn't really cared for the demon all that much. In fact, the only sadness among the family was for the fact that Dipper wasn't happy. They didn't care the same way he did...

Dipper sighed, shoving his hands in his pockets as he looked at the dull grave stone. After the events of Weirdmageddon, Dipper didn't dare put the demon's name on it, for fear that some vengeful citizen would come across it and vandalize the grave. Therefore, the resting place of Bill Cipher's grave was marked with nothing more than a smooth round stone with a triangle carved into it. To those who knew what it meant, it was more than sufficient.

Dipper couldn't help but feel a bit angry. The anger was greatly outweighed by the grief, but it was still present. It was like an annoying itch right in that spot on your back you can't reach. It kept nagging at him, which made him feel guilty. If Bill hadn't taken away Dipper's powers, the teen could have saved him! Dipper sighed. He shouldn't be getting mad at Bill. The dream demon did all he could.

If only...

Those two words were the most prominent thing in Dipper's mind. If only he had been quicker when breaking him out. If only he had still had his magic abilities. If only everything had gone perfectly. If only this, if only that. So many things that could have been, that should have been, yet here he was, powerless and alone. In front of him, Bill Cipher lay six feet below.

Dipper's eyes were red from crying, his throat sore for the same reason. One could still almost see the tracks the tears followed down his face, for they were still slightly wet. He came out here everyday. And almost every time, he cried. He couldn't help it. The pain was still too agonizingly fresh. He didn't think it would ever fade...

Suddenly, breath tickled Dipper's ear. Someone was standing at his shoulder. Before he could turn around to see who it was, the person held him still by putting a hand on his back and handing him a piece of paper over his shoulder.

Something about the stranger's touch felt...familiar. Dipper's stomach fluttered nervously, as if butterflies were coming to life within him. The teen took the paper from him, and was about to open it when the person said something.

"Take care of those butterflies, Pine Tree." He whispered in Dipper's ear. _Pine Tree..._ By the time Dipper had spun on his heel to face the person, they were gone. Dipper's heart was pounding, his stomach churning and fluttering madly. He ran around wildly, trying to locate the boy who had spoken to him, but... No one was there.

It was dark before Dipper finally gave up his search and turned to the note the boy had given him. He opened the folded piece of paper and furrowed his eyebrows at the jumbled letters, initially confused as to what they were.

Upon realizing it was code, Dipper pocketed the paper and ran back to the Mystery Shack as quickly as possible. He heard his great uncle call his name when he burst through the door and sprinted for the stairs, but he ignored him, taking the steps two at a time.

Dipper flung the door open, pulling it closed again as he ran through. He frantically cleared off a desk, knocking the previous occupants onto the floor to be dealt with later. He pulled out Journal 3 and flipped to the code Bill had made for him. The Alternating Helix Cipher. He read the letters over before deciphering.

_LII XDP_

He quickly plugged the letters in to the cipher key he'd made, scribbling out the answer as he went. He read the results aloud.

"See you." He revealed, looking at the paper. He didn't know whether or not to believe it...

Was it possible that Bill Cipher wasn't actually dead? After all, he wasn't completely human. He'd made himself a body before, who's to say he didn't do it again? Dipper hated the smile that played at his lips. It was too much to hope for. He couldn't get his hopes up. It would only make the fall worse.

Still... Despite his attempts to not get his hopes up about the possible return of Bill Cipher, Dipper found his downtrodden soul a bit lighter that night. He actually ate dinner, he hugged his sister goodnight. And for the first time in a long time...

Dipper Pines fell asleep with a smile on his face, his dreams pleasant and undisturbed. There was a chance that Bill was still out there, and Dipper didn't care how long it would take. He would search for the rest of his life, if he had to, but he was not going to give up until Bill Cipher was in his arms once more.

And he would never let his demon go again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you want to know what happens next... Keep an eye out for The Truth to Uncover, which is book 2 in this series! If it's not already posted, it will be shortly. Anyway... I hope you liked it! This was a book I have posted on Wattpad that a lot of people love so I figured I'd post it here. Thanks for reading, and I hope to see you around on more of my books! Haha! I'll howl to you later!


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